Bonnie Cooper on behalf of the Holstein Journal has announced on their website the 2019 All-Canadian Nominees! Congratulations to all!
We are proud to present the nominations in the Holstein Journal’s 2019 All-Canadian Holstein contest. This is the 78th consecutive year that the Holstein Journal has sponsored and conducted this highly regarded competition that recognizes the best Holstein animals and groups that have competed at shows in Canada.
When the Holstein Journal announced in March 2019 that it was ceasing publication of its monthly magazine, Peter English, Holstein Journal owner and publisher, stated that he would be continuing the All-Canadian Holstein and Red & White contests. He planned to utilize the Journal’s website, www.holsteinjournal.com, to publicize the All-Canadian nominations and winners. Peter was working on the 2019 All-Canadian contests when he died unexpectedly on November 29, 2019. All work on the competitions stopped with his untimely passing.
In late January, Peter’s family gave the go ahead for the All-Canadian contests to resume. Bonnie Cooper, former editor of the Holstein Journal, along with help from France Lemieux of Quebec and administrative assistance from Holstein Canada, took on the job of completing the contests. Thanks to the enormous support and cooperation of everyone in the Holstein industry, we are achieving this.
The 2019 All-Canadian Holstein contest attracted a total of 152 entries for its open individual classes. There were 86 cows entered in the nine milking classes with entry numbers ranging from seven in the longtime production class up to 12 in the junior 2-year-olds. A summer heifer calf class was added to the contest in 2019. This helped to bring the turnout in the now seven junior female classes to a total of 66 entries. Numbers in these younger female classes ran from seven in the summer heifer calves up to 13 in the junior heifer calves. There were 10 Breeder’s Herds and six Junior Breeder’s Herds entered. Holstein breeders from six Canadian provinces, 14 states of the United States, and four other foreign countries are represented in the list of exhibitors with nominated animals or groups.
A total of 40 entries were received in the contest’s 4-H division. Entry numbers in the five 4-H classes ranged from six in the 4-H summer yearlings up to nine each in the 4-H junior calves, 4-H intermediate calves and 4-H junior yearlings. Young Holstein enthusiasts from Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia have now been rewarded with nominations in the 4-H contest.
Making the final determination of the six animals or groups deserving of an All-Canadian nomination in each of the Holstein contest’s 23 classes was a Nominating Committee. Serving on this committee were Jamie Black, Batavia, NY, Dominic Fortier, Saint-Christophe-d’Arthabaska, QC, Blair Weeks, Pleasant Valley, PE, and Mike West, East Garafraxa, ON. These four well-qualified judges had judged at major shows in Canada during 2019 and been at many more shows as exhibitors or spectators. When the original date for the All-Canadian Nominating Committee meeting had to be cancelled last December, all of these men graciously readjusted their schedules so they could attend the meeting on its new date. On February 12, 2020, the Nominating Committee met at the Head Office of Holstein Canada in Brantford, ON. There they thoughtfully and objectively assessed the merits of each entrant in the competition. The result of their decisions can now be found in the nominations posted on this website.
The leading breeder of All-Canadian nominees in 2019 is Ferme Jacobs Inc., Cap-Sante, QC. Eight milking females carrying the respected Jacobs prefix are nominated in the open competition. In addition, they also earned a nomination in the Breeder’s Herd class. This is the fifth consecutive year that the Jacobs family has bred the most nominees in the Holstein contest. Tying for second place in the breeder race, with three nominated animals apiece in the open competition, are the prefixes of Idee and Pierstein. Seven prefixes, five from Canada and two from the United States, appear on two nominated animals in the open classes. They are Blondin, Camflat, JM Valley, Knonaudale, Oakfield, Reyncrest and Weeberlac.
For the second year in a row, the leading exhibitor of All-Canadian nominees is Westcoast Holsteins, Chilliwack, BC. In 2019, the Kooyman family of Westcoast Holsteins earned nominations on six animals who they exhibited for all or part of the season. Runner-up for leading exhibitor is the partnership of Ferme Blondin and Blondin Sires (Simon Lalande, Kim Côté and Dann Brady), Saint-Placide, QC, who showed five nominated animals. In third place are Michael and Julie Duckett of Duckett Holsteins, Rudolph, WI, who exhibited all or part of five nominees. They are followed in the standings by Ferme Jacobs, who showed all or part of six nominated animals in the contest.
Fifty-two different bulls sired a nominated animal in the 2019 open competition. Earning the title of leading sire of All-Canadian nominees in this latest contest is Val-Bisson Doorman. This popular Semex owned bull sired 14 nominated daughters, the oldest of which are senior 3-year-olds. “Doorman” was previously the leading sire of nominees in 2017. The legendary Braedale Goldwyn, who has been the leading sire of All-Canadian nominees ten times in his career, takes second place with eight nominated progeny. Following closely behind in third place is Dymentholm Mr Apples Avalanche with seven nominated daughters. Three bulls have four nominations apiece to their credit – Cycle Doorman Jacoby-ET, Lirr Drew Dempsey and Walnutlawn Solomon. “Jacoby” has the most daughters nominated in the 4-H division with four, one of whom is nominated in both the open and 4-H classes. Two bulls, Mr D Apple Diamondback and Walnutlawn Sidekick, each have three nominated daughters. There are five bulls who have two nominated daughters apiece and they are Apples Absolute-Red-ET, Mr Chassity Gold Chip-ET, Mr Apples Armani-ET, Gillette Windbrook and Mav004 Crush. Of these latter bulls having multiple nominations, four are “Doorman” sons, three are “Goldwyn” sons, and four bulls trace to the Apple family on the maternal side of their pedigrees.
Pictures and placings of the 2019 Holstein nominations have now been sent to 20 judges who will comprise the All-Canadian Selection Committee. Their votes will ultimately determine the winners of the All-Canadian, Reserve and Honourable Mention awards in each class.
Serving on the All-Canadian Selection Committee are the four members of the Nominating Committee, along with Pierre Boulet, Montmagny, QC; Yvon Chabot, Victoriaville, QC; Steve Fraser, Fergus, ON; Markus Hehli, Rimbey, AB; Kevin Jacobs, Sainte-Brigitte-des-Saults, QC; Joël Lepage, Amqui, QC; Cameron MacGregor, Winchester, ON; Kevin McGriskin, Melancthon, ON; Carl Phoenix, Sunderland, ON; Joel Phoenix, Cannington, ON; Esteban Posada, Queretaro, Mexico; Chad Ryan, Fond du Lac, WI; Mark Rueth, Oxford, WI; Jeff Stephens, Troy, ON; Garry Vanderpost, Saskatoon, SK; and Ridley Wikkerink, Cobble Hill, BC.
The results of the All-Canadian Holstein and Red & White contests will be posted on the Holstein Journal’s website by mid-March. Anyone having questions about the contests should contact Bonnie Cooper (English) at 416-579-6572 or [email protected], or France Lemieux (French) at 819-795-5213 or [email protected].
The English family, and all of us involved in completing the 2019 All-Canadian contests, thanks everyone for their cooperation, patience and understanding as we have worked to honour and fulfill Peter’s wishes for the All-Canadian contests.
Click here for 2019 All-Canadian nominations
Provided by Holstein International