The World Classic Sale to be held at WDE tomorrow includes direct daughters from several of the week’s major league Holstein contenders, who are on the grounds in Madison.
The sale is in its 35th year, and it is enjoying a run-up off the back of the massive hype building on the two-time Supreme Champion [2021 and 2023], Erbacres Snapple Shakira 4E-97, and the 2022 Supreme Champion, Oakfield Solom Footloose 2E-97. Because it includes a director daughter of both cows as Lot 1T and Lot 2T.
Oakfield Solom Footloose 2E-97 daughter selling as Lot 2T sired by Blondin Direct
Jacobs Havenofear Shout-ET *RC is an October 2023-born heifer with a valuable nod to the red carrier opportunity in her name. At lot 2T is a January 2024-born Blondin Direct daughter from Footloose, Ms Direct Famous, offered by Showbox Sires and Vierra Dairy LLC.
Auctioneer Tom Morris said genetics are moving faster and faster, and securing up-to-the-minute offerings is part of the annual race they face.
“It’s pretty cool to include these exciting young heifers from cows that are here and in form,” Tom said.
The catalogue also includes 38 high genomic lots, 15 type animals, and three Jerseys. Boarding arrangements are available for any buyers, says Morris.
For the first time, 15 heifers will be listed to sell as one lot, on behalf of WDE’s Dairy Producers of the Year, the Larson family from southern Wisconsin. The heifers sell in absentia and need to be collected by October 18. Larson Acres milks 2800 Holsteins, averaging 109 pounds of energy correct milk every day with a 4.68% fat, 3.4% protein and 56,000 SCC. It has also amassed 130 EX cows, 16 Gold medal Dams, 40 Dams of Merit, four Gold Medal Sires and 16 regional and/or national Elite Performer Award recipients.
Auctioneer Morris said it was a chance to roll the dice in a really interesting way.
“This is a new deal we’ve never tried. If you’re milking 500-5000 cows you could take them home and put them in your herd or flush them, and they could make a big impact on your herd.
“Because if you’re milking 5000 cows, you’re probably not going to buy one heifer, but you might buy 20 of them, take them home and flush them or add them to your programme. There could be some incredible animals within this group.”
This sale also includes the Hellenbrand Lasting Legacy Award (HLLA) * lot in memory of Mike Hellenbrand, who died in 2020.
“This is a unique lot that contributes to the next generation in a very special way – just as Mike would have wanted,” Tom said. “There’s really nothing else like it.”
Every year young people can apply to win the opportunity to win a donated daughter of a WDE Grand Champion (breed by rotation). The winner not only works with the heifer through the next 12 months. They are also assigned a mentor to support them on the journey. The heifer is sold in the sale the next year.
Last year’s winner was Wesley Winch, who has been working with Top Acres Winsome ETV – a winter calf out of Top Acres Supreme Wizard-ET 3E-95 and the 2017 WDE Brown Swiss Grand Champion – owned by Wayne and Connie Sliker. Wes’ mentor has been Ryan Weigel, a professor of Dairy and Animal Science at Wesley’s Southwest WI technical College.
The sale starts from 6pm on the Tanbark on Thursday evening.
*The 2025 HLLA calf is a daughter of the 2022 WDE Red & White Grand Champion, Ms Ransom-Rail Beth-Red-ET, EX-94. Applications can be found at www.hellenbrandlastinglegacy.com and should be submitted between October 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025.
