Recollections of the All-American Contests This first issue of 2022 kicks off our year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the All-American Holstein contest. In 1921, the Holstein-Friesian World featured a Show Cow of the Year selection after the show season completed. This proved so popular that Maurice Prescott, HWF editor, decided to put together a contest to name the top animal in each age class compiled from all the shows that year. In 1922, there was a nominating and selection committee of one – W. S. Moscrip, who had judged a number of the big shows that year. These post-season awards were a big hit with the breeders, and the scope of the contest was expanded the next year with four judges and the HWF Editor making up the committee. In 1939, the structure was established that looks remarkably similar today – a smaller nominating committee of judges that have officiated at prominent shows from coast-to-coast. Those class nominations are then sent out to a larger group of judges who votes on their top choices for each class. The Holstein World – and now Cowsmopolitan – tabulates the results and announces the winners. Certainly, there have been changes and tweaks along the way. In looking back at the breed history books and old issues of the Holstein World, it’s stunning to see how important and fiercely competitive the bull classes were, including the Get of Sire class. We’ve seen an ebb and flow in the popularity of the current group classes – once highly popular, then discontinued for a time before returning in the 2000s. And, of course, the addition of several more classes for various female age groups over the past few decades. No doubt, the competition will continue to evolve, but the enthusiasm with which it is received by the breeders each year has continued unabated since 1922! As we look forward to publishing highlights of the past century in each issue this year, we thought there was no better place to start than by asking Joel Hastings for some reflections. His family owned and operated the Holstein World, and the aforementioned founder of the All-American contest, Maurice Prescott, was his grandfather and Editor of the World for sixty years. Joel continued the family tradition in his decades at the helm of the Holstein World, both as Editor and Publisher. We will always consider Joel a good friend 42 « COWSMOPOLITAN Late Winter 2022
and mentor, and we’re delighted to share his thoughts here!
W
hen Kathleen O’Keefe asked me to reflect a bit on my experiences with served on the most nominating the All-American Contests, committees. In an earlier era, I first asked her if she had Wisconsin’s Harvey Swartz was on access to the 1960 edition 27 committees. of Holstein-Friesian History. That book, written primarily Why six animals in each class? That by my grandfather, Maurice was the number of mid-size photos S. Prescott, recounts the that could fit on each page of the beginnings of the contest, World magazine! By Joel Hastings which now is celebrating its As Dick Keene scaled back on his 100th year. Kathleen said she active judging, the three National Shows would hit a few of those historic highlights, had emerged and so for several years, so I’ll not recount those details here. the committee was composed of those My strongest impressions are being able judges, whoever and wherever they might to observe and then participate in the All- be, putting additional emphasis on the American Committee meetings held in late need to win at a National. In more recent November or early December. For years, years, with the preeminence of the show three of the most active top judges were at World Dairy Expo and the proliferation invited to meet in Syracuse, N.Y., not too of spring and fall nationals, the question far from the World offices then in Sandy has become what animals besides the top Creek. Their work was to select the six six at Madison will successfully compete nominees in each class from 5 X 7 photos for recognition. and prepared captions that included the Even in the years when MSP was still with complete show record for each entrant. us, Jim Hill had become the unofficial “go Initial selections were made on day one, to” guy making sure that the contest was with an adult beverage and dinner ready for presentation to the committee together at the end of the day. The next and that results were prepared for morning, classes would be reviewed, with publication in January. He also oversaw the an occasional switch on an animal being selection of the larger judging panel who nominated. The phrase we used with a made the final selections. He prepared all disappointed exhibitor, often accurately, the copy needed for the presentation of “She was the last one out.” awards in the March issues, also, which for In my early years, World Editor Maurice S. several years included full pedigrees of the Prescott was the “chair” of the meetings class winners. joined by the World staff which included Jim’s commitment to the process was Dave Morrow, Bob McKown and Jim Hill. unmatched. He followed each show During the 1970’s and 1980’s, the late season carefully so that he could be sure Holstein breeder Dick Keene of Keeneland no contending animal was left out of Farm at Gilbertsville, N.Y., was a leading the process. The same procedures were judge, tying the ribbons at shows all across followed in the Junior All-American the country. He became a fixture on the Contest because in those years the same nominating committee, serving for two committee made the selections. He helped decades. In those years he had placed each committee avoid inconsistencies or at least seen most of the top animals between the two contests. But above in contention. Just as important was his all, he was insistent that every animal almost uncanny ability to work with the was represented by the right photo with two other judges to arrive at the strongest absolutely accurate placings. class of six, even when there might be disagreement about the final animals His love of the showring started growing getting nominated in a class. In my time, up on Moncony Farms at Spencerport, N.Y. Dick holds the record as the person who His father Warren and uncle Russell, twin
