54th RWDCA Convention Held in Illinois - Cowsmo

54th RWDCA Convention Held in Illinois

Red & White Enthusiasts gathered to St Charles, Illinois on June 19th and 20th for the 54th Annual Red & White Dairy Cattle Association National Convention.   Convention goers attended farm tours at Luck-E Holsteins and Lenkaitis Holsteins.

Matt & Joe Engel, Luck-E Holsteins, Hampshire, IL were awarded the JP ‘Doc’ Ostrander Younger Breeder Award.

Many award winners were announced at the Annual Banquet.  Recognized for 25 years of RWDCA Membership were: Alvin & Barbara Kayser, Milton, WI; Morrill Farm Dairy, Penacook, NH; Brian Derr, Gettysburg, PA; Dennis McCoy, Convoy, OH and Daniel & Mark, Wollum, Mondovi, WI.  David Gregory, Harvard, IL; Pennsylvania Holsteins Association, State College, PA; Merkenal Farm, Little Falls, NY were all recognized as 40 year members of the Association.

Kaleb Kruse, Dyersville, IA; Katie Thompson, Plainview, MN and Sarah Thomas, Pittsboro, NC each received a $1,000 RWDCA Scholarship.

Hannah Hensel and Cathryn Gunst, both of Wisconsin, were winners in the Junior Essay Contest.  Cathryn Gunst also submitted the winning entry in the photo contest.  Both the essay and photo contest winners will be published in the issue of The Red Bloodlines, The Official Publication of the RWDCA.

Hannah Nelson, Ellsworth, WI, was crowned the 2018 National RWDCA Queen.

 

Several Service awards were presented.  

Doug Lyons, Castalia, IA, was awarded the Larry Moore Master Breeder Award.  The award is presented to a person who is a member of the RWDCA, who has done an outstanding job of breeding a herd of Red & White cattle, supported RWDCA programs and endeavored to promote and advance the Red & White cow.

Kaleb Kruse, Dyersville, IA; Katie Thompson, Plainview, MN and Sarah Thomas, Pittsboro, NC each received a $1,000 RWDCA Scholarship.

Matt & Joe Engel, Luck-E Holsteins, Hampshire, IL were awarded the JP ‘Doc’ Ostrander Younger Breeder Award.  This award is presented to a younger breeder who is a member of the RWDCA, who has done an outstanding job of breeding a herd of Red & White cattle, supported RWDCA programs and endeavored to promote and advance the Red & White Cow.

Morgan Olbrich, Harvard, IL, was presented with the Junior Breeder Award, awarded to a person who is a member of the RWDCA, who has done an outstanding job of breeding and developing a herd of Red & White cattle, supported RWDCA programs and endeavored to promote and advance the Red & White cow. Recipient must be no more than 21 years of age.

The Don Albrecht Distinguished Service Award was presented to Barb Kayser, Milton, WI.  This service award is presented to a person that has contributed greatly to the success and promotion of the Red & White cow. Award in memory of Don Albrecht who contributed greatly to the betterment of the RWDCA until his untimely death.

Morgan Olbrich, Harvard, IL, was presented with the Junior Breeder Award

The Gary Mayhew Keystone Award was awarded to Mary Etta Lenkaitis, St Charles, IL. Awarded in memory of Gary Mayhew who strongly promoted Red & Whites and provided service to the RWDCA and RWDCA members.  This award is presented to recognize grassroots members who have given dedicated support to the Red & White breed and the RWDCA.

The evening concluded with a live auction to support the RWDCA Scholarship program.

Gary Janssen, Wauconda, IL was honored as a retiring Board member and President.  The RWDCA welcomes, Ryan Griffin, Thief River Falls, MN as it’s newest member of the Board of Directors.

Planning and coordinating this convention was the team of Mary Etta & Sarah Lenkaitis and Gary Janssen.  Events like this are not possible with out the generous support of our sponsors, Golden Oaks Farm, ST Genetics, GEA Farm Technologies and Prairie State Select Sires.

The Wisconsin Red and White Dairy Cattle Association will host the 55th Annual Convention in June, 2019 in Fond du Lac, WI.

The RWDCA strives to encourage and promote the progressive breeding and development of superior Red & White Dairy Cattle by providing breeders with information, programs and services to help track, evaluate and improve the breed from one generation to the next.

Doug Lyons, Castalia, IA, was awarded the Larry Moore Master Breeder Award.
The Gary Mayhew Keystone Award was awarded to Mary Etta Lenkaitis, St Charles, IL.

 

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