WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.240 Live from World Dairy Expo, this is The Bullvine, 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:08.880 your daily dose of dairy news. Hey there, it's 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:12.199 Andrew from The Bullvine, and wow, do I have 00:00:12.199 --> 00:00:14.560 a story for you today. You know those moments 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:16.820 that make you stop and think, did that really 00:00:16.820 --> 00:00:20.739 just happen? Well, day three at World Dairy Expo 00:00:20.739 --> 00:00:23.640 was packed with them. I'm talking judges getting 00:00:23.640 --> 00:00:26.600 literal goosebumps, dinner deals that turned 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:29.489 into championships, and a breed explosion that 00:00:29.489 --> 00:00:32.109 nobody saw coming. So pour yourself a coffee, 00:00:32.229 --> 00:00:34.670 maybe grab a notepad, because what I'm about 00:00:34.670 --> 00:00:37.729 to share isn't just a show recap. It's a masterclass 00:00:37.729 --> 00:00:40.229 in split -second decision -making that's rewriting 00:00:40.229 --> 00:00:43.289 how we think about breeding excellence. Let me 00:00:43.289 --> 00:00:45.909 start with this question. What if I told you 00:00:45.909 --> 00:00:48.369 the best breeding decisions at World Dairy Expo 00:00:48.369 --> 00:00:52.170 took 10 seconds, not 10 spreadsheets? Stay with 00:00:52.170 --> 00:00:55.740 me here. Picture this scene. Judge Greg Evans, 00:00:55.979 --> 00:00:58.020 a third -generation Ayrshire breeder himself, 00:00:58.340 --> 00:01:00.479 is evaluating the senior three -year -old class. 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:04.379 Two cows enter the ring. Koppenbarger Kingsire 00:01:04.379 --> 00:01:07.879 Trinity and Bricker Farms King Cinderella. As 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:10.299 these two phenomenal animals circle, something 00:01:10.299 --> 00:01:13.459 extraordinary happens. Evans' associate judge, 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:16.439 Jean -Philippe Charest, everyone calls him JP, 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:19.540 leans over and whispers something that captures 00:01:19.540 --> 00:01:23.760 the entire day. I have goosebumps. Think about 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:26.079 that. These are seasoned professionals who've 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:28.239 judged thousands of animals, and they're getting 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:30.260 physical reactions from what they're seeing. 00:01:30.459 --> 00:01:33.239 When excellence reaches that level, when two 00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:35.939 cows are so perfectly matched that choosing between 00:01:35.939 --> 00:01:38.920 them creates actual goosebumps, that's not just 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:41.739 competition. That's decades of breeding decisions 00:01:41.739 --> 00:01:45.239 converging in one perfect moment. And here's 00:01:45.239 --> 00:01:47.959 what makes this even more incredible. Greg Evans 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:50.540 looks at his breed and declares, and I quote, 00:01:50.939 --> 00:01:53.799 the whole breed has just taken off like a rocket 00:01:53.799 --> 00:01:57.219 ship. Now let me tell you about Peter Vale and 00:01:57.219 --> 00:02:00.299 a dinner that became legendary. Last year at 00:02:00.299 --> 00:02:02.739 Expo, Peter's sitting at dinner with the Bujon 00:02:02.739 --> 00:02:06.239 Farms team. Mid -conversation, and I mean literally 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:09.080 between bites, Peter excuses himself from the 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:12.099 table. No explanation, just gets up and walks 00:02:12.099 --> 00:02:14.680 out. He heads straight to the tent and writes 00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:17.560 a check for a cow named B. Will Kingsire Willow. 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:20.990 Then he comes back and finishes his dinner, like 00:02:20.990 --> 00:02:24.189 nothing happened. Fast forward one year. That 00:02:24.189 --> 00:02:27.370 spontaneous purchase? She just won Grand Champion 00:02:27.370 --> 00:02:30.569 Ayrshire. Kelly, Willow's barn manager, describes 00:02:30.569 --> 00:02:33.090 this four -year -old as having an incredibly 00:02:33.090 --> 00:02:36.409 resilient constitution. The kind of cow that 00:02:36.409 --> 00:02:39.150 performs without drama and wins without question. 00:02:39.430 --> 00:02:41.830 Rock -solid temperament meets elite genetics. 00:02:42.229 --> 00:02:45.129 But here's the lesson, and write this down if 00:02:45.129 --> 00:02:48.169 you're taking notes. Championship genetics don't 00:02:48.169 --> 00:02:51.569 negotiate. When Peter saw quality, he didn't 00:02:51.569 --> 00:02:53.849 form a committee. He didn't run spreadsheets. 00:02:53.849 --> 00:02:57.250 He trusted his gut and wrote the check. Speaking 00:02:57.250 --> 00:02:59.469 of spontaneous decisions, let me share the Trinity 00:02:59.469 --> 00:03:02.090 story because this one's wild. Terry Packard 00:03:02.090 --> 00:03:04.870 and Ernie Kuffner were Jersey people. Their entire 00:03:04.870 --> 00:03:09.009 identity was Jersey cattle. Then Ernie gets bored. 00:03:09.509 --> 00:03:13.229 That's right, bored. So what does he do? Buys 00:03:13.229 --> 00:03:16.289 an air -sure sight unseen in Oklahoma. Now Terry 00:03:16.289 --> 00:03:18.449 knows her husband pretty well. But she realizes 00:03:18.449 --> 00:03:20.930 he's serious about this cow when something unusual 00:03:20.930 --> 00:03:24.289 happens. Ernie starts mentioning Trinity by name 00:03:24.289 --> 00:03:27.150 at home. For a guy who typically doesn't reference 00:03:27.150 --> 00:03:29.590 individual animals in their herd, that was the 00:03:29.590 --> 00:03:32.330 tell. Here's the kicker. That boredom purchase 00:03:32.330 --> 00:03:35.569 literally doubled their Ayrshire herd. From one 00:03:35.569 --> 00:03:39.650 to two. And Trinity? She just claimed both intermediate 00:03:39.650 --> 00:03:43.319 champion and reserve grand champion. Their success 00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:45.460 has been so significant they had to completely 00:03:45.460 --> 00:03:47.759 rebrand from their jersey -focused identity. 00:03:48.360 --> 00:03:50.740 Last year, their first Ayrshire calf won All 00:03:50.740 --> 00:03:53.159 -American Winter Calf. This year, championship 00:03:53.159 --> 00:03:56.280 banners. Sometimes the best decisions come from 00:03:56.280 --> 00:03:59.699 instinct, not spreadsheets. Efting to the jersey 00:03:59.699 --> 00:04:03.560 barn where 371 entries competed and history was 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:07.979 made. Stony Point, Joel Bailey, remember that 00:04:07.979 --> 00:04:10.639 name, claimed her third Grand Champion jersey 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:14.650 title. at World Dairy Expo. Third, let that sink 00:04:14.650 --> 00:04:17.470 in. Nathan Thomas, her handler, put it perfectly. 00:04:18.009 --> 00:04:20.250 Bailey might be the greatest to ever compete 00:04:20.250 --> 00:04:22.949 at Expo. But here's what I love about this story. 00:04:23.250 --> 00:04:25.589 Thomas acknowledges it takes an entire network, 00:04:25.829 --> 00:04:28.889 family maintaining the home operation, barn crew 00:04:28.889 --> 00:04:31.589 managing every detail, everyone working together. 00:04:31.850 --> 00:04:34.730 With this third victory, Bailey hasn't just won 00:04:34.730 --> 00:04:37.910 another banner. She's moved into legendary status, 00:04:38.209 --> 00:04:40.759 mythical territory. The kind of achievement that 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:43.459 gets talked about for generations. The unknown 00:04:43.459 --> 00:04:46.319 that shocked everyone. But here's where it gets 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:49.300 really interesting. While Bailey was making history, 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:52.459 an unknown was shocking everyone, including the 00:04:52.459 --> 00:04:56.100 judge. Conde Chocolatier Hot Coco wins Intermediate 00:04:56.100 --> 00:04:59.000 Champion, and Judge Kelly Barbie's first reaction? 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:01.860 Who in the heck is that? He'd never seen her 00:05:01.860 --> 00:05:05.180 before. Nobody had. The discovery story is pure 00:05:05.180 --> 00:05:08.230 expo magic. A friend visiting another herd last 00:05:08.230 --> 00:05:10.610 year spots this cow and makes a frantic call 00:05:10.610 --> 00:05:13.490 to Dave Koss and Reuter Dairy Inc. The message 00:05:13.490 --> 00:05:17.009 was simple. You need to buy this cow. Now, they 00:05:17.009 --> 00:05:19.810 listened. Adding international flavor to the 00:05:19.810 --> 00:05:23.129 win, Hot Cocoa was presented by Callum, an Australian 00:05:23.129 --> 00:05:25.689 Leedsman, making his World Dairy Expo debut. 00:05:26.269 --> 00:05:28.829 Dave Koss described the emotion of that moment 00:05:28.829 --> 00:05:31.509 as something he'll be chasing for the rest of 00:05:31.509 --> 00:05:34.750 his life. That's the dream every exhibitor carries 00:05:34.750 --> 00:05:38.160 into Madison. that on any given day, an unknown 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:41.220 animal can rise up and shock the industry. And 00:05:41.220 --> 00:05:43.439 speaking of shocking the industry, let's talk 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:45.319 about what happened in the Jersey Heifer Show. 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:48.779 Youth exhibitors won four consecutive classes, 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:53.279 four in a row, against open competition with 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:57.040 seasoned professionals. Judge Barbie was crystal 00:05:57.040 --> 00:06:00.060 clear about this. These kids weren't just participating. 00:06:00.300 --> 00:06:02.540 They were exhibiting at a professional level. 00:06:02.910 --> 00:06:04.930 They're in the barns at midnight. They're using 00:06:04.930 --> 00:06:07.730 genomic testing for breeding decisions. And they're 00:06:07.730 --> 00:06:09.670 outworking veterans who've been doing this for 00:06:09.670 --> 00:06:14.430 decades. In the junior jersey show alone, 167 00:06:14.430 --> 00:06:17.610 entries competed. This isn't the future of dairy 00:06:17.610 --> 00:06:20.709 anymore. The future is now, and it's wearing 00:06:20.709 --> 00:06:24.290 junior exhibitor numbers. Which brings me to 00:06:24.290 --> 00:06:27.389 Tyler Woodman and a story about building tomorrow's 00:06:27.389 --> 00:06:31.180 champions today. Tyler just won the Richard Caverly 00:06:31.180 --> 00:06:35.120 Memorial Dairy Award. He's 28, herd manager at 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:37.800 Maple Line Farm, with nearly 20 All -American 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:40.899 and Junior All -American nominations across airshires 00:06:40.899 --> 00:06:44.579 and jerseys. But here's what matters. Tyler organized 00:06:44.579 --> 00:06:47.180 workshops on fitting, showmanship, and judging 00:06:47.180 --> 00:06:49.180 the night before the Stars and Stripes sale. 00:06:49.500 --> 00:06:52.100 Youth consistently praise his willingness to 00:06:52.100 --> 00:06:55.720 share knowledge. One quote stood out. Tyler always 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:58.439 has time to discuss pedigrees and mating choices. 00:06:58.839 --> 00:07:01.839 The award includes a traveling trophy, a wooden 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:04.160 carving of a cow that was a five -time grand 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:07.240 champion at Toronto's Royal Winter Fair. Tyler 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:09.720 received it right there on the colored shavings 00:07:09.720 --> 00:07:12.800 during the Jersey four -year -old class. That's 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:15.839 how you build an industry. One mentorship at 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:19.339 a time. Quick note on the Guernsey Barn. Wisconsin 00:07:19.339 --> 00:07:24.699 absolutely dominated. 247 Open entries, 102 Junior 00:07:24.699 --> 00:07:27.379 entries, and the home state swept the major honors. 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:30.740 Cadence Farms' Lovely from New Glarus won Grand 00:07:30.740 --> 00:07:33.759 and Senior Champion. Donnybrook Ammo Stevie, 00:07:34.100 --> 00:07:37.079 exhibited by Brittany Taylor and Layla Schuller, 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:39.980 also from New Glarus, claimed Intermediate Champion 00:07:39.980 --> 00:07:42.920 in the Open show and Grand Champion in the Junior 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:45.740 show. When your state sweeps a breed like that, 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:48.819 you're doing something right. All right. Let 00:07:48.819 --> 00:07:51.699 me break down what all this means for your operation. 00:07:52.019 --> 00:07:54.420 Because that's why we're here, right? Not just 00:07:54.420 --> 00:07:57.540 to hear stories, but to get better. Number one, 00:07:57.579 --> 00:08:01.019 the 10 -second decision rule. Championship genetics 00:08:01.019 --> 00:08:04.180 don't negotiate. Peter Vale left dinner to write 00:08:04.180 --> 00:08:06.920 that check. Dave Koss trusted a friend's urgent 00:08:06.920 --> 00:08:09.800 phone call. Ernie Kufner bought Trinity out of 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:12.800 boredom. All three quick decisions led to championships. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:16.480 Your action? When elite genetics appear, move 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:19.470 immediately. or watch someone else win with them. 00:08:19.870 --> 00:08:22.930 Number two, the Ayrshire investment window is 00:08:22.930 --> 00:08:26.009 now. With Holstein money flooding in and judges 00:08:26.009 --> 00:08:28.110 getting physical goosebumps from the quality, 00:08:28.610 --> 00:08:30.850 Ayrshires have shifted from sleeper breed to 00:08:30.850 --> 00:08:34.230 rocket ship. Your move? Start shopping Ayrshire 00:08:34.230 --> 00:08:37.389 genetics before the window closes. Early adopters 00:08:37.389 --> 00:08:39.649 are already doubling their herds, literally going 00:08:39.649 --> 00:08:41.809 from one cow to two and winning championships. 00:08:42.710 --> 00:08:46.149 Number three, youth plus genomics equals new 00:08:46.149 --> 00:08:48.960 power structure. Four straight Jersey class wins 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:51.519 by juniors proves experience is losing to data 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:54.500 -driven decisions and midnight barn work. Your 00:08:54.500 --> 00:08:57.399 strategy? Hire young talent, embrace genomic 00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:00.139 testing, and stop assuming tenure equals expertise. 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:05.139 Number four, trust physical reactions over spreadsheets. 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:07.600 When seasoned judges get goosebumps watching 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:10.100 two Ayrshires compete, that's decades of breeding 00:09:10.100 --> 00:09:13.279 excellence converging. Your lesson? Excellence 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:15.840 announces itself. If you feel it in your gut 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:18.559 when you see a cow, trust that instinct over 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:23.080 any evaluation sheet. The bottom line. Day three 00:09:23.080 --> 00:09:25.340 at World Dairy Expo delivered everything that 00:09:25.340 --> 00:09:28.600 makes Madison legendary. Ayrshire's proved a 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:30.700 breed can explode when the right people invest. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:34.539 Bailey etched her name deeper into history. Hot 00:09:34.539 --> 00:09:37.159 Coco showed that unknowns can shock even the 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:39.940 judges giving them banners. Youth exhibitors 00:09:39.940 --> 00:09:42.139 demonstrated they're not waiting for permission. 00:09:42.419 --> 00:09:45.500 They're taking the industry now. The rocket ship 00:09:45.789 --> 00:09:48.029 isn't just getting started folks it's already 00:09:48.029 --> 00:09:51.389 breaking orbit the question is are you on board 00:09:51.389 --> 00:09:54.490 or are you watching from the ground remember 00:09:54.490 --> 00:09:58.090 overthinking is the enemy of excellence the best 00:09:58.090 --> 00:10:00.389 moves happen when instinct meets opportunity 00:10:00.389 --> 00:10:03.970 not after committee meetings so here's my challenge 00:10:03.970 --> 00:10:07.230 to you next time you're at a sale at a show looking 00:10:07.230 --> 00:10:09.929 at genetics when something hits you in the gut 00:10:09.929 --> 00:10:12.929 as special don't overthink it don't committee 00:10:12.929 --> 00:10:15.759 it to death Remember Peter Vail walking out of 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:18.200 that dinner. Remember the judges getting goosebumps. 00:10:18.899 --> 00:10:21.779 Remember that championship genetics don't negotiate. 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:25.639 Trust your instinct. Make the move. Write the 00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:28.399 check. Because while you're analyzing, someone 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:30.720 else is already walking to the winner's circle. 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:34.059 I'm Andrew from The Bullvine, and that's your 00:10:34.059 --> 00:10:37.299 Day 3 recap from World Dairy Expo. Until next 00:10:37.299 --> 00:10:39.940 time, keep pushing boundaries, keep making bold 00:10:39.940 --> 00:10:43.129 moves, and remember... In this industry, hesitation 00:10:43.129 --> 00:10:45.429 costs more than overpaying everyone.