From the Executive Director Dallas Rynd

From the Executive Director

By Dallas Rynd

We were on our way to World Dairy Expo on Sunday and had stopped to spend the night a couple hours south of Madison. We went to bed early as we wanted to be up early and make it there before the junior show on Monday morning. We were both asleep when Judy’s phone rang. Usually, that means there is a law enforcement issue, but this time it was a special young man who had made Ohio State’s dairy judging team. Grant DeBruin and his family are good friends. Grant grew up on a Jersey farm outside of Washington Court House. He was active in FFA, wrestling and band in high school, but had never judged dairy cattle.

Grant couldn’t wait to tell us that he had placed 14th in the collegiate dairy judging contest at Madison. His excitement was overwhelming. We were so happy for him and his OSU teammates. To take a young man who had never shown or never judged dairy cattle, and guide him to place that well at Expo was a true accomplishment. Bonnie Ayars told us that Grant responded to everything she asked and he dazzled everyone.

As we spent the week at Expo, the excitement and the smiles we saw on the faces of junior exhibitors was infectious. They were happy to be able to participate at the big dance and several of our own did very well.

In the Holstein Junior Show, Elizabeth Kiko took home the Junior Champion banner. Colton Thomas exhibited the Intermediate and Grand Champion Holstein.

In the Red and White Junior Show, Kelly Havermale exhibited the Junior Champion heifer. Lilly Elsass had the honorable mention Intermediate Champion cow.

In the Ayrshire Junior Show, Keaton and Kinley Topp showed their winning winter yearling to Reserve Junior Champion honors. Carli Bricker won Grand Champion honors while Tanner, Brennan, Marissa and Logan Topp brought home the Reserve Champion banner.

In the Guernsey Junior Show, Reserve Senior and Reserve Grand Champion honors went to Hannah Hurst, Brynn Grewe and Kyle Polk.

At the end of the week, Kelly Havermale’s Red and White heifer was named Reserve Supreme Champion Heifer of the Junior Show! Quite a great week for our Ohio kids and we congratulate them all!

Since Expo, we have had the Fall Sale. Thanks to Ken and the entire crew who did a fantastic job of preparing the animals for the sale. A special thanks to all the youth who pitched in to make sure the animals were presentable and that everything ran smoothly.

The 2023 National Holstein Convention is in Lexington, Kentucky at the end of June. I encourage our junior members and their parents to consider attending this event. There are many activities for junior members and I would like to see the Ohio juniors be a driving force at convention just as they were at World Dairy Expo.

Dallas Rynd 740-207-5005