Back to the Futurity

For many years at the Wisconsin State Fair I've interviewed Fairest of the Fair and Alice in Dairyland about 'Futurity.' For the first several years, all I got out of it was that cows were shown by kids in formalwear. Only in the last several years have I understood that it is much more than that. I was very excited to be invited by Alice in Dairyland to be on the floor of the Colliseum for this year's event.

Here's what the program states:
The purpose of the Wisconsin Holstein Futurity is to stimulate interest in the breeding and exhibition of outstanding Officially Identified Holsteins of 87% Registered Holstein Ancestry or higher.
The judge has narrowed down the field to 5. If the udders look mammoth, they are! Fuller than you would normally let a cow get. Apparently it shows better.

Back to the 'splainin;'
Rules - Owners nominate animals as young heifers hoping they develop into remarkable three-year-old cows to be exhibitied at the show. For the 2007 Futurity, owners entered animals by November 1, 2004 who were born between September 1, 2003 and August 31, 2004.

And the winner is: LaDonna Morty Jackpot (that's the cow) exhibited by Kristina Duwe (in the blue dress.) One of her prizes is the $1,200 check from the sponsors.

Futurity History - Klaas Koopmans of Darien, Wisconsin, founded The Wisconsin Holstein Futurity in 1984. The idea came from reading about the success of the Ohio Futurity. In 1987, the first Wisconsin Holstein Futurity was held at State Fair Park. The first year there were 9 animals, this year there are 43.

Beauty of the exhibitors is also judged, and this group of siblings, decked out in white, orange, and black, took the family prize. I'm thinking Christmas Card picture with this one.