The Value of the All-American Nomination
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n 1976 I had the privilege to have all access to one of the most brilliant marketers in the purebred livestock business, David Bachman Sr. The owner and overseer of Pinehurst Farms in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the man carefully cultivated a program to enhance the value of his Holsteins, especially to a Japanese clientele. The culmination of a show circuit that would last over five months and encompass ten shows and over ten thousand miles was the announcement of the All-American nominations. From 1975 to 1981, Pinehurst was the leading exhibitor and breeder of All-American nominations. Through its existence, the farm would garner more than 200 AllAmerican nominations and more than 50 All-American and Reserve All-American awards. Pinehurst’s first All-American, Pinehurst Peerless, was exported to Japan in 1968 for $15,000 ($126,879.82 in 2022 dollars).
The nominations were a huge marketing tool as potential customers in Japan anxiously waited for their copy of the Holstein World to arrive in their mail box or perhaps view one that had made the trip overseas in the briefcase of a sales agent or breeder. Bachmann, who would travel to Japan twice a year with a couple copies and the skill of an artist, would highlight those pages with Pinehurst animals listed to potential buyers. In 1976 the value of a young sire like Pinehurst Copyright would increase with the showings of his offspring. Each was photographed perhaps a couple of times. A professional photographer made several trips to the farm during
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the year but the coveted pictures with the willows as a backdrop in Madison were generally the pictures sent to the Holstein World office for consideration. There were no composite pictures. Groups like the Copyright Junior Get of Sire were posed by as many as eight or more people. Getting all four animals’ attention at the same time could be a daunting experience. Largely because of those All-American nominations and the exposure, Pinehurst Debonair was Unanimous All-American Bull Calf in 1976. Pinehurst Copyright, Pinehurst Blueprint, and Pinehurst Titleist were so what you see is what you get, a big, all exported to Japan and it would be fair straight, long calf with style to burn and to say that the revenue from those sales an incredible wide, deep, long and open financed Pinehurst for good deal of time rib. Debonair was a son of the homebred afterwards. Pinehurst Copyright from Thorncreek Deppings Royalty Sunset, undefeated and All-American in her own right, was also exported after the completion of the year to Italy which added more money to the Pinehurst coffers as well. It would be almost impossible to calculate the value of being one of six animals or one of six groups on that nomination page would be but it is fair to say that the master of promotion found that it certainly added value to these animal and the herd in general. The nominations that year (with thoughts on a few): Pinehurst Debonair Unanimous All-American Bull Calf Pinehurst Debonair was as close to perfection as you could ever get. When one analyzes his picture, you must remember there was no ‘Photoshopping’
Majesty Sally EX-93. The undefeated Debonair anchored the undefeated Junior Get as well. Sir Prestige Reflection Elgin EX-93 Unanimous All-American 2-Year-Old Bull Pinehurst Sovereign Echo Senior Yearling Bull Exported to Japan Pinehurst Titlest HM All-American Junior Yearling Bull Exported to Japan
