From a $1 million auction to global genetic revolution: How one red-carrying Holstein cow rewrote breeding history and created dynasties still dominating today.
The bidding had reached a fever pitch. In the packed sale arena, hearts raced as the price climbed higher than anyone had imagined possible. One million dollars. For a single dairy cow. When the hammer finally fell on that August day in 2008, KHW Regiment Apple-Red-ET had not only shattered every sales record in Holstein history—she had announced to the world that the genetic revolution begun by her remarkable mother was far from over.
That mother was Kamps-Hollow Altitude-ET RC, a Durham daughter born on a cold January morning in 2000 who would become the most influential Red Holstein cow in modern breeding history. But on that winter day when she drew her first breath, few could have predicted that this calf would single-handedly transform an entire segment of the Holstein breed, create dynasties that still dominate show rings today, and establish a genetic legacy so profound that more than 80% of Red Holsteins at major shows would eventually trace back to her bloodlines.
The Foundation of Dreams
The story begins not with Altitude herself but with three college friends whose shared vision would reshape Holstein breeding: Ryan Kamps, Mark Haag, and Ryan Weigel. Together, they formed KHW Genetics, a partnership built on youthful ambition and an eye for exceptional cattle. These young men, who would later be recognized as Wisconsin’s Distinguished Young Holstein Breeders in 2014, were about to make breeding history.
The foundation for their success was laid at a dispersal sale in November 1998, when Richard Kamps made what would prove to be one of the most prescient purchases in Holstein history. At the Clover-Mist dispersal in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, he acquired Clover-Mist Augy Star EX-94 along with her young Prelude daughter, Alisha. In the barn at Clover-Mist, the legendary D-R-A August EX-96—known simply as “The White Cow”—had been an icon, standing in the end box stall and producing three 94-point daughters. Now, through Augy Star and Alisha, that extraordinary maternal line would find its way to Kamps-Hollow.
The Making of a Matriarch
Born on January 11, 2000, Kamps-Hollow Altitude-ET RC carried within her genes a convergence of Holstein excellence that breeders dream about but rarely achieve. Her pedigree read like a who’s who of breed legends: sired by Durham, a bull known for transmitting long bodies, broad rumps, and well-attached udders, and tracing through her maternal line to the foundation strength of D-R-A August, who had achieved over 200,000 pounds of lifetime milk production with exceptional type.
But Altitude was destined to be more than the sum of her illustrious parts. As she matured in the freestall barns at Kamps-Hollow, her own excellence became undeniable. She would eventually classify EX-95-USA 2E DOM, a score that placed her among the elite 5% of Holstein cows for conformation. Her production records told an equally compelling story: by her seventh lactation, she was producing 39,690 pounds of milk with an exceptional 4.7% butterfat—numbers that spoke to both her capacity and her metabolic efficiency, the kind of performance that turns red ink to black on dairy farm financial statements.
Yet for all her individual excellence, Altitude’s true genius lay in her extraordinary ability as a brood cow. In the unpredictable alchemy of cattle breeding, where exceptional parents don’t always produce exceptional offspring, Altitude possessed the rarest gifts: the consistent ability to transmit superiority across generations and through diverse genetic combinations.
The Son Who Conquered Show Rings
The first hint of Altitude’s genetic prowess came through her son KHW Kite Advent-Red-ET, sired by CK Kite RC. In the competitive world of Red & White Holstein breeding, Advent would become nothing short of legendary. His dominance was so complete that he claimed the Premier Sire banner at the Grand International Red and White Show at the World Dairy Expo for seven consecutive years—an unprecedented achievement establishing him as the foundation sire for an entire generation of show-winning cattle.
For breeders across Wisconsin and beyond, watching Advent’s offspring mature became a lesson in genetic consistency. As one admirer noted, his daughters displayed “excellent frames and open rib structure”—the kind of cattle that caught judges’ eyes and commanded premium prices at sales. The numbers behind Advent’s success told the story: over 400 Excellent daughters in the United States and Canada combined, with 105 earning All-American nominations in just five years. When forty-one of those daughters achieved All-American or Reserve All-American status, it represented more than ribbons and trophies—it represented increased asset values for the families who owned them.
Advent’s genetic potency attracted the attention of Select Sires, though his journey to artificial insemination prominence wasn’t without the challenges that test every dairy farmer’s resolve. Initially purchased by Select Sires, he encountered a health issue with leucosis and was subsequently offered to Glaze-Way Enterprises before being leased back to Select Sires. His popularity soared there, particularly after his calves began dominating show rings with their exceptional frames and open rib structure.
The Million-Dollar Daughter
If Advent established Altitude’s reputation as a producer of sires, her daughter KHW Regiment Apple-Red-ET would make her a household name throughout the global Holstein community. Apple-Red, sired by Carrousel Regiment-Red-ET and born in May 2004, possessed a rare combination of show ring glamour, production excellence, and genetic potency that would captivate the cattle world.
In the early morning hours at barns across North America, farm families would gather around their laptops and phones, watching Apple-Red’s show career unfold with the dedication of sports fans following their favorite team. Her breakthrough moment came at the 2006 World Dairy Expo when she captured the Jr. 2 Holstein class—a red cow triumphing in a world traditionally dominated by black and whites. For red breed enthusiasts who had long felt like an overlooked minority in the Holstein world, this victory felt like vindication.
But it was in 2008 that Apple-Red truly made history. At auction, bidding reached the unprecedented sum of one million dollars, paid by Apple Partners of Lanark, Illinois. The sale generated international headlines and brought previously unimaginable attention to the Red Holstein breed. For small dairy farmers watching the coverage, there was validation that exceptional genetics commanded exceptional value and that sound breeding decisions could transform the economic prospects of an entire operation.
Yet Apple-Red’s influence extended far beyond the show ring and sale barn. Her impact as a brood cow has been nothing short of revolutionary. She is the first Red Holstein with over 100 Excellent daughters worldwide—83 in the United States and 16 in Canada, with one appearing on both lists for a North American total of 98. This productivity translated to something more valuable than any ribbon for commercial dairy farmers: genetic consistency they could bank on, generation after generation.
The Apple dynasty created by this remarkable cow continues to dominate Red Holstein breeding. Her sons, Apples Absolute-Red and Mr Apples Armani-RC have become influential sires in their own right. When Absolute daughters like Meadow Green Abso Fanny-Red EX-96 claimed multiple Grand Championships at the World Dairy Expo and the Royal Winter Fair, they proved that Apple’s genetic legacy was more than marketing—it was sustainable excellence that delivered results where it mattered most, in the milk house and the breeding barn.
The Global Genetic Revolution
While Advent conquered North American show rings and Apple-Red captivated the cattle world with her celebrity status, Altitude’s influence was quietly spreading across continents through another of her offspring: Jotan-Red-ET. This Jordan son, introduced by the German AI Masterrind in 2005, became the European trailblazer for the Altitude family’s international expansion.
In the rolling dairy country of the Netherlands, farmers like those at Drouner Holsteins discovered that Jotan-Red’s daughters were transforming their operations. These late-maturing cows with excellent rumps and strong feet and legs thrived under various management conditions, carrying their productive lives through longer lactations than farmers had dared hope for. When Durkje 252, representing Jotan’s 75th EX daughter in the Netherlands, posed for her classification photo, she embodied what dairy farmers worldwide were experiencing: cattle that got better with age, improving with each lactation rather than breaking down.
Jotan-Red became a sales phenomenon, ultimately producing nearly 18,000 daughters in at least ten countries. His popularity in Eastern European countries was particularly notable, as farmers discovered that his daughters delivered exactly what commercial dairy operations needed: functional cattle that converted feed efficiently while maintaining their structural integrity through multiple lactations. In the Netherlands alone, he has produced 78 EX daughters from 4,236 classified offspring, with 90.7% scoring Good Plus or higher in the United Kingdom.
The success of Jotan-Red was significant for more than just his individual merit. His European career established genetic lines that would influence Red Holstein breeding across continents, proving that Altitude’s genetics weren’t just American show ring curiosities—they were foundational bloodlines that could improve dairy herds anywhere exceptional cattle were valued.
The Genomic Era and Continued Relevance
As the dairy industry evolved into the genomic era, many wondered whether traditional cow families would maintain their relevance in a world increasingly driven by DNA-based selection. Breeders held their breath at farms across North America as genomic test results arrived, hoping their favorite bloodlines would translate to the new digital scoreboards that increasingly determined breeding decisions.
Altitude’s daughter KHW Goldwyn Aiko-ET RC provided a definitive answer. This Goldwyn daughter achieved a remarkable GTPI of 2050, demonstrating that Altitude’s genetics adapted to genomic evaluation and excelled under its criteria. For breeders who had invested their futures in Altitude bloodlines, Aiko’s success represented more than validation—it was their ticket to continued relevance in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Aiko’s global appeal was evident in the demand for her genetics, with embryos sold to six countries. Her offspring continued the family’s tradition of excellence: her daughter KHW-I Aika Baxter RC VG-87-2YR reached as high as the #15 GLPI Cow in Canada and one of the highest RC cows in the breed, while another daughter, De Jonge Aiko RC by Sahara, achieved the #1 GTPI ranking among Sahara daughters. Even her son by Sahara earned a high gRZG ranking in Germany, proving the international appeal of Altitude genetics across gender lines.
In the genomic era, Altitude’s daughters by modern sires consistently produced offspring with elite genomic values well into the 2010s, including high-ranking TPI daughters KHW SUPERSIRE ANNETTE-ET and KHW SYMPATICO ALARM-RED-ET. These results demonstrated that Altitude’s base genetics were robust enough to complement the industry’s most advanced sires, ensuring her family’s continued prominence in an increasingly competitive genetic marketplace.
Real-World Impact on Commercial Herds
The true test of any genetic program isn’t show ring victories or auction prices—it’s performance in commercial dairy operations where profit margins depend on cows that calve easily, milk heavily, and breed back efficiently. At Koester Dairy in Illinois, one of America’s leading production herds with a dazzling average of over 36,000 pounds of milk per cow, the Altitude influence shines through descendants that prove their worth every milking.
K-Star Frazzled Ruby VG-85-2-yr, fresh for her second lactation and milking 145 pounds daily, represents the practical application of Altitude genetics. She traces back through an 88-point Silver daughter and then the Uno sister to Apple, connecting her directly to Altitude’s maternal line. Ruby’s presence demonstrates how elite genetics translate to operational success in a herd that has won the Holstein Association’s Herd of Excellence Award for five consecutive years.
The Koester family’s experience with Altitude descendants like KHW Uno Arkansas EX-91 tells the complete story of genetic value. Arkansas, directly out of Kamps-Hollow Altitude, has produced EX daughters sired by Jacey, Montross, and Supersire, along with a pair of 88-point Silver daughters. In a commercial operation where every cow must pull her weight, these results represent the difference between profitability and struggle. When Dan Koester notes that “competition to be among the brood cows can certainly be fierce” in a herd averaging over 36,000 pounds, Arkansas has more than earned her place.
For the Koester operation, which pushes feed to their cattle twelve times daily and maintains the intensive management that elite production demands, the Altitude bloodlines deliver the metabolic efficiency and structural soundness that make such performance sustainable. These aren’t pampered show cows—they’re working dairy cattle that convert feed to milk with the efficiency that keeps family dairy farms viable in an increasingly challenging economic environment.
Recognition and Industry Impact
The dairy industry’s recognition of Altitude’s extraordinary impact came through multiple prestigious awards that acknowledged not just her genetic merit but her transformative effect on an entire segment of the breed. In 2009, she was named Red Impact Cow of the Year by Holstein International. That same year, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle proclaimed her Wisconsin Cow of the Year, recognizing her importance to one of America’s premier dairy states.
Perhaps most tellingly, every bull put into stud has made the ACTIVE lineup—a remarkable testament to her consistent ability to produce the high-quality sons desired by artificial insemination organizations. This statement reflected her genetic potency and the commercial viability and market acceptance of her offspring across diverse breeding goals.
The European Success Story
At Drouner Holsteins in the northern Netherlands, the Albring family’s experience with Altitude genetics through the Aiko branch demonstrates how exceptional bloodlines adapt to different management systems and geographic conditions. When Harm Albring reflected on their investment in Freddie embryos out of KHW Goldwyn Aiko nine years ago, he described a breeding decision that transformed their operation.
The family characterizes their Aikos as “late-maturity” cattle that “look a bit round as heifers, but they all continue developing.” Rather than being a drawback, this trait has proven to be an asset in their management system. As Henk Albring explains, “the family breeds very consistently,” providing the predictability that allows dairy farmers to plan their replacement strategies confidently.
The practical results speak for themselves. Drouner AJDH Aiko 1288-Red EX-90, the Olympian daughter of Freddie Aiko, “transmits strong fitness traits, production, and type,” according to Henk. Her ability to combine “everything” makes her the kind of cow that commercial dairy farmers prize above show ring glamour. This reliable producer consistently improves the herd’s genetic base while maintaining the structural soundness needed for long, profitable lactations.
When the Albrings’ herd averages over 86 points for black and whites and more than 87 points for red and whites, combined with production averaging 10,300 kg (22,700 pounds) at 4.30% fat and 3.48% protein, they’re demonstrating how Altitude genetics contribute to the kind of balanced excellence that sustains family dairy operations. Their breeding sales revenue of 10 cents per kilogram of milk shows how genetic excellence translates to economic viability—the bottom line determining whether the next generation will continue farming.
A Legacy Written in Excellence
When Altitude passed away at the age of 15 in July 2015, she left behind a genetic legacy that had already transformed Holstein breeding. Her influence extended through multiple generations of exceptional descendants, dominating show rings, breeding programs, and AI catalogs worldwide.
The transformation Altitude brought to Red Holstein breeding was so complete that today, any Red Holstein or RC bull without an intensive link to her or her famous descendants is embraced as an outcross sire. This reflects the Altitude family’s tremendous influence in the international Red Holstein population, fundamentally reshaping the genetic landscape of an entire breed segment.
At operations like Westcoast Holsteins, where Swingman-Red traces back through Altitude genetics to become the #1 red bull in Canada, her influence shapes breeding decisions affecting thousands of cattle. Swingman’s breeding combines “solid production with good components, impressive type excelling for udders, and stellar figures for the health traits”—exactly the combination of traits that commercial dairy farmers need to maintain profitable operations.
The Enduring Vision
As we look back on Altitude’s remarkable life and continuing legacy, we see more than just the story of an exceptional cow. We see the realization of a vision shared by three young men who believed that exceptional genetics could reshape an industry. Reflecting on Altitude’s impact, Ryan Kamps noted that she and her dam Alisha “put Kamps-Hollow and KHW on the map” as fantastic brood cows that “transmit strongly generation after generation,” with each generation seeming to get better.
Today, that vision continues to unfold in barns across the globe. From the European descendants of Jotan-Red to the latest genomic stars tracing back to Aiko, from the show ring dynasties built on Apple-Red’s foundation to the commercial dairy herds benefiting from Altitude’s production genetics, her influence touches virtually every corner of Red Holstein breeding.
In the challenging environment facing modern dairy farming—where profit margins shrink, regulations tighten, and family operations compete against industrial-scale facilities—the Altitude legacy represents something invaluable: genetic consistency that farmers can depend on. Her descendants don’t just win show rings; they populate the milk lines of farms where economic survival depends on cattle that calve easily, milk heavily, convert feed efficiently, and breed back reliably.
The genetic echo of Kamps-Hollow Altitude-ET RC resonates through pedigree production records and shows ring victories on six continents. She was more than a great cow; she was a genetic cornerstone who proved that exceptional individuals could change an entire breed’s trajectory. In the unpredictable art and science of cattle breeding, where dreams often exceed reality, Altitude delivered on every promise her pedigree suggested and created possibilities no one had dared imagine.
Her story reminds us that in agriculture, as in life, true greatness is measured not just by individual achievement but by our lasting impact on future generations. Through her sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters, and the countless descendants yet to come, Kamps-Hollow Altitude-ET RC achieved a form of immortality that transcends her physical presence. She became a genetic force of nature whose influence will shape Holstein breeding for generations to come—a matriarch for the ages whose greatest achievements may still lie ahead in the offspring yet to be born, carrying forward her extraordinary legacy.
Key Takeaways
- Record-Breaking Sales Impact: Altitude’s daughter Apple-Red sold for $1 million in 2008, setting an unprecedented price that brought global attention to Red Holstein genetics and validated the economic value of exceptional breeding
- Show Ring Dominance: Her son Advent-Red achieved the unprecedented feat of winning Premier Sire at World Dairy Expo’s Red & White Show for seven consecutive years, producing over 400 Excellent daughters and reshaping show competition
- Global Genetic Transformation: Through descendants like Jotan-Red (18,000 daughters in 10+ countries) and the Aiko family in Europe, Altitude’s genetics spread internationally, making her bloodlines foundational to modern Red Holstein breeding worldwide
- Genomic Era Success: Altitude’s genetics successfully transitioned to genomic selection, with daughters like Aiko achieving 2050 GTPI and producing offspring with elite genomic values exceeding 2400 GTPI, proving her genetic relevance across breeding eras
- Commercial Dairy Excellence: Her descendants continue to excel in high-production commercial operations like Koester Dairy (36,000+ lb herd average), demonstrating that her genetics deliver practical value beyond show ring success
Executive Summary
Kamps-Hollow Altitude-ET RC, born in 2000, became the most influential Red Holstein cow in modern breeding history through her extraordinary ability to produce exceptional offspring. Her daughter KHW Regiment Apple-Red-ET made headlines by selling for $1 million in 2008 and becoming the first Red Holstein with over 100 Excellent daughters worldwide. Her son KHW Kite Advent-Red-ET dominated show rings for seven consecutive years as Premier Sire at the World Dairy Expo’s Red & White Show. Altitude’s genetics spread globally through descendants like Jotan-Red, who produced nearly 18,000 daughters across ten countries, fundamentally transforming Red Holstein breeding worldwide. Her bloodlines successfully adapted to the genomic era, with descendants achieving elite genomic rankings well into the 2010s. Today, more than 80% of Red Holsteins at major shows trace back to her genetics, and her influence continues through multiple generations in both show rings and commercial dairy operations. Altitude passed away in 2015 at age 15, leaving behind a genetic legacy that earned her recognition as Red Impact Cow of the Year and Wisconsin Cow of the Year in 2009.
Learn more:
- Apple-Red Makes History: The First Red Holstein with Over 100 EX Daughters
- KHW Regiment Apple-Red-ET – Everything and more
- The 7 Most Influential Holstein Brood Cows of the Modern Era
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