In Memoriam

Yesterday’s Cowpath

By Barb Lumley

The following is taken from the November 10, 1968 issue of the Holstein-Friesian World, The Newspaper of The Breed, Vol. 65 No. 21. Published at Lacona, N. Y. on the 10th and 25th of each month. Maurice S. Prescott, Editor, and Wm. A. Prescott, Associate Editor Emeritus.

The cover of the Holstein-Friesian World was a picture of the sale ring and part of the large and attentive crowd at the World Premier Sale, October 10. The photo was by Danny Weaver.

CENTRAL NATIONAL HOLSTEIN

SHOW by Ted Prescott:

The 1968 Central National Holstein Show held in conjunction with the World Food Expo at Madison, Wisconsin, October 10 and 11, was widely hailed by veteran observers and exhibitors as the strongest contest of Holstein excellence ever seen in North America. Superb quality ran deep in every class as leading contenders from both Ontario and the eastern shows challenged the finest of the west. Ray Brubacher, Guelph, Ont., did a highly competent job of judging the large and difficult classes. Observing judge was Don Seipt, Easton, Pa.

There were 357 head led out for the individual classes and a total of 366 head on the grounds from 16 states and Ontario. Agro Bros., Ltd., Hamilton, Ontario was Premier Breeder and Gray View Farms, Union Grove, Wis., Premier Exhibitor. Heffering & Trevena, Amenia, N. Y. was the only exhibitor with two winners. Gray View Farms won four group classes and the aged cow class, the other blues and all the championships going one to a customer. Prestige of Lakehurst was 1st Aged Bull and Grand Champion, Lakehurst Farms, Inc., Sheboygan, Wis. Reserve Senior and Grand Champion Bull was Crescent Beauty Talent, Allen Hetts & Willard Dickman, Ft. Atkinson, Wis. It was the finest bull show in years, with a total of 57 head. Lake Aire Dora Crisscross was 1st 3 year old in milk, Senior and Grand Champion, Vernon Schultz, Manitowoc, Wis. Reserve Senior and Grand Champion was the 2nd place 3 year old, Agro Acres Marquis Patsy, Agro Bros., Ltd., Hamilton, Ontario. Vernon Schultz won the added glory and prize money for Best Animal in Milk Bred by Exhibitor, the Fay Birney Recognition Award of $150, formerly presented at Waterloo.

CENTRAL NATIONAL NOTES

If there were a “Premier Sire” award in the Central National Show it would have to go to Romandale Reflection Marquis who had a total of 44 sons and daughters exhibited at Madison. They accounted for eight class winners, the Senior and Grand Champion bull, the Junior Champion female, seven second prize winners including the Reserve Grand Champion female, and four third prize winners. Certainly there has never been anything to equal this in the modern show ring, where the competition is largely among AI sires.

EDITORIAL

A Comment on Show Classes From time to time we hear doubts expressed by breeders regarding the value of judging a series of ring filled heifer classes, particularly the junior, intermediate and senior calves, as a part of the large dairy cattle show. In a way, we subscribe to this theory, agreeing with the judge who commented when the calves were brought out, “Now the guessing game begins”. However, regardless of knowing which calf will make the best cow, we strongly favor these heifer classes because it is there that often the youngest and newest breeders first participate in any form of activity with registered cattle. Anything the industry can do to encourage participation in this fine program by younger and newer breeders, as well as established breeder-showmen, is worthy of support by all. In our opinion the inclusion of calf classes in our shows helps to achieve this goal

WORLD PREMIERE SHATTERS SALE RECORDS

$3,795 Average Sets New High For U. S. Consignment Sales

CATALOG SUMMARY

20 Females 2y & over $ 58,700 $2,935.00 (1 Heifer Calf under 3 mos. s.w.d.) 100 100.00 4 Bred Yearlings 9,750 2,437.59 2 Open Yearlings 7,600 3,800.00 1 Heifer Calf (over 3 mos.) 1,900 1,900.00 3 Bulls over 3 mos. 35,800 11,933.33 30 $ 113,850 $3,795.00 The first World Premiere Holstein Sale, sponsored by the World Food Expo, Madison, Wisconsin, October 10th, set a new U. S. record for consignment sale averages as shown in the summary above. The sale was held at 7 p.m. in the end of the judging arena with a huge crowd in attendance, estimated at more than 2,000 persons. It was a superb selection of animals made by the sale management firm of Bachmann & Bartel with assistance from Elis Knutson, and they were attractively displayed together in the Holstein barn throughout the week at the Central National Holstein Show. The buyer’s list totals 24 for the 30 head sold, coming from 13 states, Ontario and Japan. Only seven head stayed in Wisconsin. Opening the sale at the top price of $21,000 was Premier of Rowntree Farms, the Seiling Rockman twin son of famed Future Hope Reflector Blacky (2E-93) consigned by Rowntree Farms, Ltd., Woodbridge, Ont. Starting at $5,000 the bid quickly rose to$20,000, where it remained until the final $21,000 from Claude Pickett, Georgetown, Ont. No contending bidder was announced. Selling for $10,500 was Crescent Beauty Premium consigned by Allen Hetts, Ft. Atkinson, Wis., and purchased by American Breeders Service. The second highest selling animal in the offering, and the top priced female, was Kanawaka BG Lucky Miss Dallas (VG88), 1968 All Kansas 3 year old daughter of Thonyma Lucky Mose (EX) consigned by Francis Wempe, Lawrence, Kan. The final bidder at $20,000 was Lakeside Dairy and R. Dale Jones of Silver Lake, Ind. The remaining animals in the sale all brought $1,000 to $5,000. Auctioneer Sonny Bartel and pedigree man David Bachman, the sale managers, were in top form. They were assisted by the following ring and aisle auctioneers: Thos. E. Hays, Oakville, Ont.; Harvey Swartz, Waukesha,Wis.; C. M. Bottema, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind.; A. C. Thomson, Burlington, Ill.; Merle Howard, Watertown, Wis.; and Ken Laska, Anoka, Minn. Mac Logan from Canada and Fritz Holschbach fom Wisconsin presented the animals in the ring. All sale animals were pictured in the World. Roger Kranz, Columbus, Ohio purchased two consignments, Wapa Keystone

Pride (VG-87) (7-64) $1,350 consigned by Lakehurst Farms, Inc. and Salesman Piney Heather (1-67) $1,000 consigned by James Salesman, Argyle, Wis. Winning the 2 Year-Old Bull class at the Central National Show was Rich-B Destination owned by Brian L. Siddall and Freeway-Vue Farms, West Salem, Ohio. He was the Ohio State Fair Grand Champion Bull.

Gerald K. Snyder, formerly with Curtiss Breeding Service in Georgia is the new Holstein-Friesian Assn. of America fieldman for the State of Ohio.

In Memoriam

Joyce Elaine Conrad

Wayne Ellis Specht was born October 30, 1932, to Arthur Specht and Mabel (Swihart Specht) Ritchey, in the same house in which his father was born, in Ragersville, Ohio. In 1943, Arthur sold the original farm to a coal company and moved his family to the current Specht farm northwest of Dover. Wayne loved growing up on a dairy farm and developed the no-nonsense work ethic he would display his entire life.

Known to his childhood friends as “Shorty,” Wayne graduated in 1950 from Dover High School, where he enjoyed singing in the choir, serving as a class officer, and playing sports. After high school, Wayne attended The Ohio State University College of Agriculture, graduating with a degree in dairy science. He married his high school sweetheart Janet Weisgarber in 1952. They were married for 54 years, until Janet preceded him in death in 2006.

After graduating from Ohio State, Wayne’s ROTC commitment sent him, Janet, and daughter Sharon to Fort Worth, Texas, where he climbed to the rank of captain in the U.S. Air Force. Their son Steve was born in Fort Worth in 1956.

The sudden passing of his father sent Wayne, Janet, and their children back to Dover, where Wayne became a full-time dairy farmer. He named the farm Trealayne Holsteins, and he bred many outstanding registered Holstein dairy cattle. Wayne was named an Outstanding Young Dairyman by the Ohio Dairy Herd Improvement Association.

Wayne was known as a leader in agriculture circles. He served as the secretary of the Ohio Holstein Association, as a member of the Ohio State Agricultural & Technical Institute Dairy Advisory Committee, as Master of Winfield Grange, and as president of the Landmark and Farm Bureau Boards of Directors and of the Tuscarawas County Holstein Club. Active in the District 3 Holstein Association, Wayne was co-chair of the first Harvest Hills Holstein Sale. His leadership in these organizations was only surpassed by his 32 years of service in the Farm Credit system as a director on the Cambridge Production Credit Association board and then Farm Credit Mid-America board in Louisville, Ky.

Wayne was a voracious reader and a lifelong student of history. A longtime patron of the Dover Public Library, he kept up with current events, reading every newspaper and magazine he could get his hands on. He never stopped collecting books, often asking his grandkids to order him the latest new releases! Wayne was a longtime member of St. John’s United Church of Christ where he had served as an Elder and usher.

Preceding Wayne in death were his parents, Arthur and Mabel; his first wife Janet; and his second wife Kathryn “Kay” (McGinness) Specht, whom he married in 2010.

Wayne is survived by his daughter Sharon (Larry) Rohrer, his son Steven (Michele) Specht, and his sister Grace Bochsler, all of Dover; his brother Glenn Specht of Massillon; grandchildren Hannah (Ryan) Steiner, David (Crystal) Rohrer, Allison (Matt) Jaynes, Annie (John) Specht-Duym, and Adam Specht; and 5 great-grandchildren Seth, Cole and Graham Steiner, and Nora and Leah Rohrer. He will be missed by many extended family members and friends.

A private service for his family will take place on the farm and burial will take place in Dover Burial Park. The Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory of Dover is handling the arrangements. To sign an online guestbook, visit the obituary link on the funeral home’s website by visiting www.tolandherzig.com.

Wayne’s family would like to thank the staff of Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital and Community Hospice Truman House for the wonderful care he received in his final days.

In order to honor the memory of Wayne, the family request that contributions be directed to Community Hospice Truman House, 716 Commercial Avenue SW, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663, or the Dover Public Library, 525 North Walnut Street, Dover, Ohio 44622. Joyce Elaine Conrad

Joyce Elaine Conrad, 79, of New Holland, Ohio passed away Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 5:50 p.m. after a two-week hospitalization. Joyce was born December 31, 1942, in Frankfort, Ohio to Carl Franklin and Ruth Butler Kruger. She was a 1960 graduate of Frankfort High School and lived her entire life in Ross and Pickaway Counties. She had formerly worked at the Citizen’s Bank in Chillicothe and later assisted with 3 Moms Catering, but her life’s work was caring for her family and assisting with the family dairy farm. Joyce was a faithful member of the Atlanta United Methodist Church and was active with the United Methodist Women. She was also a member of the National Farmers Organization and was a longtime poll worker. Joyce loved to cook and bake for her family and others, but her ultimate joy was her family. She was preceded in death by her parents; a granddaughter, Taylor Elaine Baesman and a brother, Edwin Kruger. Joyce is survived by her husband, Donald L. Conrad, whom she married March 21, 1964, three children, Karen Baesman and her husband, Rod, of Powell, Ohio; Greg Conrad and his wife, Judy, of New Holland and Becky Conrad Davenport and her husband, Monte, of Athens, Ohio; nine grandchildren, Kelsey (Aaron) Crookes, Jack (Alejandra) Baesman, Nick Baesman, Mikayla (Cameron) Gibbs, Macy (Kent) Maki, Macrae Conrad, Maylon Conrad, Luke Davenport and Shelby Davenport; a great grandson, Emmett Gibbs; a brother and sister-in-law, David and Rosemary Kruger of Bellbrook, Ohio; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Kate Kruger of Frankfort, Ohio, Carole Siegrist and her husband, Dr. Carl Siegrist, of Cincinnati; Edward Conrad of Houston, Texas and Linda Scott and her husband, Thomas, of Beaver Falls, PA and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorial contributions may be made to the Atlanta United Methodist Church, c/o Jaime Heath, 24960 Moler Road, Williamsport, Ohio 43164