Awards and Honorees
Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder
This award recognizes active, progressive dairymen who, through their expertise in managing a dairy breeding herd based upon sound genetics and business principles, serve as a model of success for their contemporaries throughout the nation. Portraits of honorees are displayed at the National Dairy Shrine Visitors' Center in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.
Application
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2007 - Bob Miller Not once, but twice - Holstein World readers voted Glenridge Citation Roxy as "Queen of the Holstein Breed." Additionally, Holstein International subscribers selected her as "International Cow of the Century." The man who nurtured the genetics behind this famous cow is Bob Miller of Mil-R-Mor. Beyond "Roxy," Miller's Roxette, Raider, Lee Debutante Rae and Rubens populate his list of legends to the breed. As a young Canadian, he finished first individually at the national and provincial dairy judging contests in Quebec. He moved to the United States in 1955 and began his dairy career as a herdsman. 2006 - Regan Family Breeders of great Holstein sires, Regans have sent 350 bulls to A.I. sampling programs with 166 being plus proven for milk, with 26 being actively marketed by A.I. companies. Most well know sire is Regancrest Elton Durham. Regans have bred 354 cows with the Regancrest prefix that have produced over 100,000 pounds of milk lifetime with an additional 11 cows having made over 200,000 pounds lifetime, and have bred 121 Excellents. 2005 - Dr. J.J. Malnati Bush River Jerseys is a 100 percent registered Jersey herd that has been on test and has participated in official type appraisal programs for 62 years. The herd ranks in the top 25 percent for U.S. Jersey herds for Herd Average Jersey Performance Index. In February 2005, Malnati's herd had two plus-proven sires in active service, five sires that entered active A.I. service, three sires in waiting, and another eight in early sampling, not counting matings in contract. Bush River cattle have sold to herds throughout the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Dr. Malnati has dedicated much of his time to the dairy industry, including having served on many committees and boards. 2004 - Charles and Eugene Iager Fourth generation to operation Maple-Lawn Farms, Inc., Fulton, Maryland. The diversified operation includes 400 registered Holsteins, a 20,000 fresh turkey retail operation, and 1000 tillable acres. This 93% homebred herd is home to many All-American and Junior All-American nominees, including the All-American Senior 2-Year-Old in 2003, among others. The Iagers have received Holstein's Progressive Breeder award 33 times, bred 22 Gold Medal Dams and have had nine sires enter active AI service. Known for their leadership, work ethic, and generosity and support of the dairy industry, especially youth programs. 2003 - Bill, Barbara, and David Mason In 2002, the Mason's 250-cow registered Jersey herd averaged 16,975 pounds of milk, 749 pounds of fat and 625 pounds of protein. Masons have bred 42 A.I.-proven bulls including the bull Mason Boomer Sooner Berretta that has a record 25,362 registered daughters in 2,654 herds. Berretta was the top-ranked Jersey sire for Production Type Index from 1993 to 1998. 2002 - Walter and Sally Goodrich Molly Brook Farms, West Danville, VT. Well-known Jersey breeders with more than 25 bulls having entered active A.I. Their most prominent cow family is Molly Brook Fascinator Flower, regarded by many as one of the most influential cows of the breed. There are at least 38 bulls from this cow family that have gone into A.I. Sally is also an absolute pro at raising healthy, growthy calves. They have not lost a calf in two years. 2001 - Douglas Maddox RuAnn Dairy and Maddox Dairy, Riverdale, California. Visionary Holstein breeder. Bred more than 330 Gold Medal Dams or Dams of Merit, 502 Excellent cows, more than 12 All-American nominations, and 30 sires that have entered active A.I. service. Co-founder of Golden Genes, Inc., an independent California corporation for dairy sire progeny testing and dairy cattle sales. 2000 - Marlin K. Hoff Coldsprings Farm, New Windsor, Maryland. Past three years (herd of 700 Holsteins) has averaged nearly 24,000 lbs. milk, 900 lbs. of fat and 770 lbs. of protein. In last 5 years, 100 cows classified Excellent and more than 450 Very Good. Have had 81 sires in A.I. including 6 Gold Medal Sires. 1999 - Robert Stiles Family Waverly Jersey Farm, Clearbrook, Virginia. Fourteen times Premier Breeder and six times Premier Exhibitor at National Jersey Show. Five National Grand Champion females; Three Junior champions. Herd includes 99 Excellent cows. 1998 production herd average 16,252 lbs. milk and 788 lbs. fat on 269 cows. 1998 - Wayne E. Sliker Top Acres Brown Swiss Farm, St. Paris, Ohio. Has had 84 All Americans and 78 Reserve All Americans. Also 10 National Total Performance winners. Total of 58 sires have been in A.I. Sold 95 head in 1998 Production Sale for $6,110 average. 1997 - Elmo Jr.,Carolyn & Niles Wendorf Crescentmead Farm, Ixonia, Wisconsin. Bred or developed 42 All American or Junior All American Holstein nominees, five of which were winners. They have 215 Excellent cows and 10 Excellent bulls, 36 Gold Medal dams, 27 Dams of Merit and 4 Gold Medal Sires to their credit. 1996 - David Bachmann Pinehurst Farm, Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Very successful dairyman, showman, breeder and sales person. Premier Breeder 21 times at National Shows and Premier Exhibitor 15 times. Bred over 100 cows with over 100,000 lbs. lifetime milk production, and four with over 300,000 lbs. Klussendorf Award Winner-1995. 1995 - John & Allaire Palmer and Robert & Laura Pike Highland Farms, Cornish, Maine. Established in 1886, Highland is the oldest registered Jersey herd in the United States. It involves six generations of the two families. On official DHIR test over 70 years and classified every year since 1968. Over 220 milking cows. Over 30 Highland-bred bulls were on the 1995 USDA proven sire list. In 1953, installed the first milking parlor in Maine. 1994 - Hubert Johnson Rockalli Farm, Mount Vernon, Washington. An outstanding breeder of top producing registered Holsteins that also had excellent type. Bred over 75 cows with Gold Medal or Dam of Merit designations. Numerous Rockalli-bred bulls have been in active AI service. In 1974, a bull calf born on the farm was the first registered Holstein resulting from an embryo transplant. 1993 - John Stuart Rowe Davis, California. He and his family own and operate Innisfail, one of the nation's most successful Milking Shorthorn herds, with 225 head averaging over 15,000 lbs. milk and classification score of 84.3. He served as an official classifier for the breed, served two, separate six-year terms on the Board of Directors and three years as President. Judged numerous major shows. 1992 - Walter and Dan Ranney Corona, California. This father-son team developed Excelsior Farms into a business that includes nearly 1500 dairy cattle, an AI business and their own sire sampling program. Milking herd of 670 Holsteins averaged over 22,000 lbs. milk. Herd has been on official test for over 50 years and has been classified nearly as long. 1991 - Howard Voegeli Monticello, Wisconsin. Bred one of the nation's finest Brown Swiss herds. Started by his grandfather in 1895, the herd numbered over 200 head. Exported embryos to most European nations plus many other countries. A subsidiary merchandising business offered complete export service. 1990 - Myron "Mike" Lancaster Lynden, Washington. Developed his Olympic View herd into one of the best Guernsey herds in the nation. Served on the American Guernsey Association Board for nine years and as President in 1988-89. Won 1983 Klussendorf Trophy. Was a well-respected judge. Herd was on official test and type appraisal for more than 25 years. 1989 - F. Roy Ormiston Brooklin, Ontario. Owner of Roybrook Farms, one of the most highly regarded Holstein herds in the world. Ormiston developed the herd with deep linebreeding and equal emphasis on type and production. Roybrook bloodlines had worldwide impact through sales of bulls, females and semen. 1988 - Hope Scott Villanova, Pennsylvania. Owner and manager of Ardrossan Farms, long recognized as one of the top-producing Ayrshire herds in the nation. During the past 78 years, this herd has bred 124 cows with more than 100,000 lbs. of lifetime milk production and 21 Ardrossan-bred bulls have entered AI service. 1987 - John Bishop VI Columbus, New Jersey. Supplied genetically-superior Ogston-bred stock and successful breeding philosophies to the Jersey breed. His famous Ogston herd ranked second for national milk production in 1984, for 100-199 cow herds. Of the 15 high PTI bulls in Jersey history, four have Ogston dams. The AJCC honored Bishop with the 1985 Master Breeder Award. 1986 - Dr. David Smokler Lancaster, Texas. Was the primary force behind Holtex Farm, one of the most prominent Holstein breeding herds in the United States. Primarily homebred, over 100 females have lifetime production over 100,000 lbs., including two over 200,000 lbs. Many Hotex-bred bulls have been in AI service. 1985 - Nelson Gardner Bridgewater, Virginia. Founder of Rocby Holsteins. Over 100 Rocby-bred bulls have entered AI service. Herd has been on official test over 30 years; classified since 1959. Served as Holstein Association director and held numerous dairy positions in Virginia. Received Holstein Assn. PBR award 13 times. Herd numbers over 400 head. 1984 - C. Scott Mayfield Athens, Tennessee. Jersey breeder whose herd of over 400 Jerseys has been on official test for 49 years and has been classified for 33 years. Bred Milestones Generator, the bull most consider "turned the breed around." Bred over 30 plus-proven bulls. Bred over 40 cows producing 100,000 lbs. milk and/or 4,000 lbs. fat. Active in numerous breed promotional activities. 1983 - Edward A. Reed Lyons, Kansas. Born and raised and lived on Thonyma Farm his entire life. Herd was on official production test since 1928, and has been classified for 45 years. Over 100 Thonyma-bred bulls were sold to AI. Bred over 20 Gold Medal Dams and Gold Medal Sires along with over 50 females and 20 males classified "Excellent." Bred the only seven generation group of "Excellent" females all carrying the same prefix. 1982 - Elroy Borgwardt Valders, Wisconsin. Owner and operator of Sunnyside Dairy Farm. Bred an outstanding herd for both production and type. Nearly 100 bulls sold to AI. Herd has been on official test and classified every year since 1951. Borgwardt's goal is to breed cows that have a balance between production and type and that will live very long, trouble-free, productive lives. 1981 - Mrs. A. G. Rankin and Sons Faunsdale, Alabama. Developed one of the Jersey breed's top "seedstock" herds on their 3,000-acre Cedarcrest Farm. Bred numerous outstanding show cows that also made Jersey Hall of Fame production records. Herd numbers over 1,300 head, 98% of which are homebred. Herd has been classified for 36 years. The Rankins received the AJCC Master Breeder Award in 1980. 1980 - Robert F. Thomson, Jr. Springfield, Mossouri. Active at Robthom Holstein Farm all his life and developed it into one of America's great breeding herds. More than 50 "Robthom" sires have been proven, including 42 "plus" and 30 in AI. The herd has been on test for 30 years, classified 40 years and developed 41 Gold Medal animals. 1979 - Max and Kip Herzog Father-son owners and operators of Sleepy Hollow Dairy, Petaluma, California. Their Holsteins have been on official herd test since 1928 and on the classification program since 1944. Their herd consistently made the top five Honor List herds in the nation. 1978 - Colonel and Mrs. H. George Wilde The first husband and wife team as well as the first Jersey breeders to win this award. Their High Lawn herd at Lenox, Massachusetts, is predominently home bred. Over 100 High Lawn bulls are plus-proven for production. The Wildes pioneered such dairy practices as zero-grazing, mow-cured hay and year-round silage feeding. 1977 - Wallace N. Lindskoog Developed his Arlinda Holsteins, Turlock, California, into an outstanding production herd and the source of some of the finest genetic seed stock for the Holstein breed. The Sire Summary for 1977 listed 59 Holstein sires with the Arlinda prefix. Not included in this count was one of the great AI sires of all time, bought in dam by Lindskoog, Pawnee Farm Arlinda Chief. 1976 - Al, Nick, and Henry La Franchi Developed Oak Ridge Ayrshires, Calistoga, California, one of the top herds of any breed. Their herd had a record of consistent improvement through the last 25 years which they credit to careful records and official test. More grand champions and All-Americans have come from Oak Ridge than any other Ayrshire farm. 1975 - Donald S. Collins Put together his Collins-Crest Holstein herd, Malone, New York, a few at a time, beginning in 1942 with four registered and 11 grade heifers on a rented farm. Collins-Crest has since produced 16 All-American and Junior All-American nominations. Of these was Collins-Crest Ivanhoe Triune J(EX-96), a 1,020-pound fat producer and the highest scored daughter of Osborndale Ivanhoe. 1974 - Lee Housley Started Ridgeway Farm, Riceville, Tennessee, in 1945. Some of his better known animals were Housleys J Champion, used in AI, and Fox Run A.F.C. Faye (EX-95.5), champion milk and fat producer of the Guernsey breed. He was president of the Tennessee Guernsey Breeders Association and served on many committees for both the Tennessee and the American Guernsey Breeders. 1973 - W.R. (Dick) Brooks Developed one of the most widely recognized herds in Holstein history at Paclamar Farms in Louisville, Colorado. The herd produced many outstanding AI sires prepotent for excellent type and high production. He developed two, Excellent-97, All-American, Gold Medal Dams--Harborcrest Rose Milly and Snowboots Wis Milky Way. |