Wisconsin cows take on the world

MADISON, Wis. — Every World Dairy Expo cattle exhibitor who types the digits of their credit card into the entry system in early September dreams of hearing the names of those animals they are entering read over the loudspeaker by an announcer from the second floor of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Many Wisconsin exhibitors had their wishes come true at this year’s Expo, with contests held throughout the week, from Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.

The show’s most coveted banners, that of supreme champion in both the open and junior divisions, remained in Wisconsin.

Golden-Oaks Temptres-Red-ET, the senior and grand champion of the International Red & White Show, was selected as the best of the best by the week’s panel of breed judges, being named the supreme champion. Temptres, the winner of the 5-year-old class, is owned by the partnership of MilkSource Genetics, Laurie Fischer, Steincrest and Crescentmead, of Kaukauna.

Wisconsin-owned cows joining Temptres under the spotlight Oct. 3 were the senior and grand champion Ayrshire, B-Wil Kingsire Willow, owned by Budjon Farms and Peter Vail of Lomira, and the senior and grand champion Guernsey, Kadence Fames Lovely, owned by Kadence Farm of New Glarus.

The winning lifetime milk production cow in the International Junior Holstein Show, Luck-E Merjack Asalia was named the supreme champion of the junior show, after being selected as the show’s senior and grand champion earlier in the week. Asalia is owned by Tessa and Stella Schmocker of Whitewater. The intermediate and grand champion of the International Junior Guernsey Show, Donnybrook Ammo Stevie, also calls Wisconsin home, owned by Brittany Taylor and Laylaa Schuler of New Glarus. Stevie was also the reserve grand champion of the show’s open division.

In the supreme champion heifer ceremonies, Lazy M Money Laundering-ET P, owned by the partnership of Elizabeth Gunst and Jamie Gibbs of Hartford, was the recipient of the reserve supreme champion in both divisions after being named the junior champion of both the open and junior divisions of the International Milking Shorthorn Show.

Other Wisconsin-owned heifers joining Money Laundering under the spotlights were the junior champions of both the open and junior divisions of the International Brown Swiss Show. In the open division, it was Blessing Garbro Pistachio-ETV, owned by Logan and Chloe Duckett and Peter Vail, of Rudolph. In the junior show, it was Jenlar Acclaimed Waikiki-ETV, owned by Brianna and Abby Meyer of Chilton. Adams Creek Boston-ETV was the junior champion of the International Junior Guernsey Show. Kash-In Video Stop And Stare-ET, owned by Ivy Hebgen of Deforest, along with Kamryn Kasbergen of Tulare, California, was the junior champion of both the open and junior divisions of the International Jersey Show. The junior champion of the International Red & White Show was Milksource Shay-Red-ET, exhibited by MilkSource Genetics and Jeremy Holthaus.

Cows were not the only ones receiving Expo recognition throughout the week.

Marshall dairy cattle fitter and hoof trimmer Matt Sloan was recognized by his peers with the prestigious Klussendorf-MacKenzie award, presented Oct. 2 as the International Holstein Show commenced.

Budjon Farms was tapped as Friday’s daily herdsmanship winner, as well as the week’s overall winner, for their work presenting their cattle in the barn. Other Wisconsin exhibits receiving herdsmanship recognition throughout the week were Ryan, Harbaugh, Danhof and friends, of Fond du Lac; MilkSource Genetics; Rustic Creek Genetics of Kewaunee; Oak Knoll Brown Swiss of Dodgeville; and ST-YLE Holsteins of Belmont.

In the youth fitting contest Sept. 27, Evansville’s Kayla Trustem earned her third title, this time winning the senior female division. Trustem has previously won the intermediate female division in both 2023 and 2024.

Wisconsin youth also shone Sept. 27 in the youth showmanship contest. William Zimmerman of Brodhead was honored as the supreme showman after topping the intermediate division. The senior division winner, Logan Harbaugh of Marion, followed as the reserve supreme showman. Justin Brandel of Lake Mills also took second place in the intermediate division, behind Zimmerman.

In the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest Sept. 28, Sheboygan County’s Campbell Booth, of Plymouth, was the top individual, both overall and in the oral reasons contest, leading her team to a winning showing in oral reasons and a second-place finish overall. Teammate Alison Gartman, of Sheboygan, placed seventh overall.

In the National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Payton Van Schyndle was the second-place individual overall. The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Sara Kronberg placed second in the oral reasons contest and fourth overall, leading her team to a third-place finish in oral reasons and a fifth-place finish overall.

Pulaski native Brady Gille was a member of the University of Minnesota’s winning team both overall and in reasons. Individually, Gille placed sixth overall.

In the World Forage Analysis Superbowl awards ceremony, Tilstock Farms of Plum City garnered the first-time entrants’ grand champion award with their alfalfa haylage, while Danny Krueger of Wausau won the quality counts corn silage award. Ted Peterson of Sharon won the grass hay division; Denmar Acres of Greenleaf had the top-placing brown mid-rib corn silage, while John Schwittay of Peshtigo won the standard corn silage division.

Ciolkosz Dairy of Thorp topped the alfalfa haylage division, while Woldt Farms LLC of Brillion had the top entry in the mixed/grass haylage division. Nuttleman Dairy of Bangor won the cereal forage class.

Plans are being made for the 59th World Dairy Expo, which will take place Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 2026, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.