Chuck and Cindy are providing you with live updates from World Dairy Expo. But, do you know the history behind the show? I thought you would like to learn more!

Of course, when the big dairy event started it was called The Food and Agricultural Exposition and National Dairy Show and ran for 10 days in September. Its main aim was to educate consumers in raising, cooking and eating food. The dairy show seemed a “throw-in” to attract dairy folks.

After a few years of money-losing extravaganzas with big-name entertainment and public disinterest, the Food and Ag Exposition was near bankruptcy. Changes in management were made and a group of dairy cattle breeders and dairy organizations took control, raised money and revamped the event that was renamed World Dairy Expo.

One of the reasons for the ultimate success of World Dairy Expo was the efforts of the farsighted group of dairy folks to put together a world class dairy show to replace the Waterloo Dairy Cattle Congress, the longtime biggest of the big dairy cattle shows held nationally, that had fallen on hard times.

Tom and John Dalton have exhibited their Daltondale Farm Ayrshire cattle at World Dairy Expo from the beginning in 1967 — 41 cattle shows ago. The Daltons have seen it all. And, like the nearly 1,000 other dairy cattle exhibitors, they make the annual trip to Madison with their calves and cows.

Like many other longtime Dairy Expo dairy exhibitors, Tom Dalton sees it is a yearly get-together second to none.

“It’s like a high school class reunion,” he says. “We get to see old friends and meet new friends. And once you get the show ring in your blood it stays.”

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