The 2010 National Holstein Convention and 125th Holstein Association USA Annual Meeting will be held June 26-29, 2010 in Bloomington, Minn. and is being hosted by the Minnesota Holstein Association.
Events will kick off on Saturday, June 26. Juniors will get right down to business with a variety of competitions; Distinguished Junior Member (DJM) and National Holstein Women’s Scholarship Organization (NHWSO) interviews will take place, along with the Dairy Jeopardy and Prepared Public Speaking competitions, and wrapping up the evening with the new Dairy Knowledge Exam. Adults will have a more leisurely start to the Convention, with the option of attending a fishing trip to Lake Mille Lacs or touring Holstein farms in central Minnesota.
On Sunday morning, June 27, a non-denominational devotion service will be offered, followed by two options for Host Day tours that will give Convention-goers a taste of Minnesota hospitality. The Mississippi River tour option will take participants to Sapa-Ska Holsteins, followed by a riverboat ride and a visit to the National Eagle Center. The Tour West option will showcase four Holstein herds: Flower-Brook Holsteins, Floralawn Holsteins, and Raylore Farm, with lunch hosted at Glenmark Genetics/Bonnie Mohr Studio. Everyone will come together on Sunday evening for Family Night at the beautiful Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. With the theme of “Experience Minnesota,” a barbecue dinner including Minnesota products will be served, followed by a variety of activities and music provided by the Trouble Shooter Band.
The Holstein Association USA Annual Meeting will begin on Monday, June 28. An Early Bird session will be available, featuring Michael T. Collins, DVM, PhD, DACVM with his talk, “Johne’s Disease: The Ostrich Approach Just Isn’t Working!” Members will hear reports from CEO John M. Meyer and President Larry Tande on Association affairs, and Dr. Tom Lawlor will speak during the meeting on “Genetic Evaluations: What Happened in April and What We Can Expect in the Future.” Those not attending the Annual Meeting may enjoy watching a few rounds of the youth Dairy Bowl competition, or go on a guided boat tour of scenic Lake Minnetonka. Monday evening will culminate with the National Convention Sale and Fish Fry at the Scott County Fairgrounds.
Board of directors elections will be the main focus of the Annual Meeting on Tuesday, June 29, with four positions on the board being filled. Several members have declared their candidacy. Running for the Region 1 seat are Thomas Kugler, N.Y.; Martha Seifert, Vt.; and Peter B. Waterman, Maine. Seeking election in Region 4 are Gayle M. Carson, Tenn., and Walter V. McClure, Sr., Va. Incumbent Leroy Eggink is seeking re-election in Region 6, and declared candidates for the At-Large position are Corey Geiger, Wis., and Mike Jones, Ind.
The Convention will conclude on Tuesday evening with the “Roaring 20’s” themed Convention Banquet, where the Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder, Elite Breeder and Distinguished Leadership Award recipients will be announced and honored.
Source: Holstein Association USA