Showcasing the Holstein breed

PLYMOUTH, Wis. — On Aug. 31, some of Sheboygan County’s finest 3-year-old Holsteins will compete for top honors during what is normally a standing-room-only show at the county fair. The exhibitors will be dressed in formal attire as they present a cow they entered in the show when she was a calf.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Sheboygan County Holstein Futurity, which began in 2000. There were 13 cows in the inaugural show hosted by agricultural broadcaster Orion Samuelson. Samuelson broadcasted his talk show an hour before the futurity that year, as well as in 2001 when the futurity was held on the racetrack.

“We were one of the first counties to get our futurity started other than the Wisconsin State Fair Futurity,” said Sheboygan County futurity chairperson, Michelle Schmidt. “We’re celebrating our 25th anniversary of the show, but we’ve been doing our show for 26 years. We didn’t have a show (during the coronavirus pandemic).”

Throughout its history, the county’s 3-year-old Holstein futurity has captivated the attention of fairgoers. The stands are filled with spectators who save their spot as soon as the coliseum opens in the morning, Schmidt said.

Yvonne Preder was one of the first chairpersons of the futurity and helped get the show started in Sheboygan County.

“This was an opportunity for Sheboygan County to showcase its genetics, and it’s been absolutely phenomenal from day one,” Preder said.

Preder milks 75 cows with Bill Schultz at Lyn-Vale Farms near Waldo.

“Our farm enters 30-40 calves every year, but the most we’ve ever taken to the show is five,” she said. “This year, we’re taking four. We’re a very competitive county, and we breeders like to showcase what we have. We like to show, yet we’re friendly competitors who support each other.”

Scott Ditter, who milks 35 cows near Plymouth, was also one of the first chairpersons. He said the futurity revitalized Sheboygan County Fair’s open show.

“We used to have 130 head in the open show, but by about 1997, numbers dropped dramatically,” Ditter said. “In 1999, there were 11 head in the open class. Since starting the futurity, we now have an open class with about 75 head.”

Preder said animal numbers dropping in the open class divisions meant a lot of empty space in the barns.

“The futurity has filled those stalls,” Preder said. “Any time you can expose your animals to the public — whether by selling genetics or informing them about the dairy industry — the better off we are to continue to be successful.”

Animals in the futurity are required to be present all five days of the fair, giving futurity exhibitors an opportunity to show their animals in the open class on Saturday as well.

“The futurity enthuses exhibitors to bring more animals to the fair than just futurity animals,” she said. “Furthermore, people know the success of this futurity and how fun it is to watch. We get a lot of interest from outside the county, which gets more people into the fairgrounds.”

Since its beginning, 584 head have shown in the futurity. Schmidt said between 7%-10% of calves entered in the futurity make it to the show as 3-year-olds. In 2018, the county saw the largest futurity class of 39 cows parade across the ring. Twenty-nine cows are expected for this year’s show, Schmidt said.

“It is one of the largest Holstein futurities in the state, and the quality of cattle is extremely high,” she said.

Preder said nearly every judge has made the comment that the quality of 3-year-olds in the futurity class from top to bottom could go on to compete at any state fair or state show in the U.S.

In honor of the show’s 25th anniversary, a special display in the dairy barn this year will showcase past futurity winners. Ring men will wear silver ties and boutonnieres, while men in tuxedos and women in long gowns lead their Holsteins around the ring.

“We have one incredible lady, Eileen Perronne, who makes our boutonnieres and corsages for the ring men, judges and emcees,” Schmidt said.

Sponsors help make the futurity possible and enable the county to distribute substantial prize money.

“We have tremendous donations from sponsorship companies in the Sheboygan County area that donate year after year,” Schmidt said. “We take pride in our show, for not only the top cow gets a cash prize, but all cows that get placed get part of that purse money.”

The Top 10 cows also receive rosette ribbons. In addition, the first-place cow receives a traveling trophy and a blanket that this year will be donated in memory of Jim Henschel. Awards for production and best udder are also presented.

The futurity is judged backwards, with the bottom half of the class being selected first and then leaving the ring to make more room for the top animals.

“The whole idea is that the suspense is at the end instead of the beginning,” Preder said. “It takes a talent to place backwards. Some judges start with the last cow and work towards the winner. Others start with the middle and go to the end. You don’t know the winner until the absolute end.”

Preder won the futurity in 2011 and 2012. She said the suspense of the final five cows being revealed is what everybody waits for.

“As leadsperson, the adrenaline starts moving within your body,” Preder said. “It’s so close and you know you’re not a shoo-in, and then you win. That’s the exciting moment. That’s when family and friends celebrate with you with loud voices and clapping.”

Ditter and his family enter about 24 calves per year and end up showing two to three. Ditter’s farm is a two-time winner of the futurity.

“It’s a tough show,” Ditter said. “There are some really good cows in this county. You get the thrill like when you win that one, you’ve accomplished something.”