World Dairy Expo 2011 is just a few weeks away and dairy cattle show enthusiasts from across North America are making plans to parade their finest across the colored shavings in Madison, Wisconsin, the week of Oct. 4-8. The following slate of judges has been approved by Expo’s Board of Directors. These gentlemen will crown the champions of each of the seven breeds on display during the five-day event.

Scroll down or click on the judge’s name to learn more about each of them.

International Junior Holstein Show: , West Union, Iowa
Junior Holstein Associate: , Poynette, Wisconsin
International Ayrshire Show: , Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Ayrshire Associate: , Glenville, Pennsylvania
International Brown Swiss Show: , Marysville, Ohio
Brown Swiss Associate: , Jackson Center, Ohio
International Guernsey Show: , Marysville, Ohio
Guernsey Associate: , Big Prairie, Ohio
International Holstein Show: , Peterborough, Ontario
Holstein Associate: , Cannington, Ontario
Central National Jersey Show: , Lodi, California
Jersey Associate: , Cable, Ohio
International Milking Shorthorn Show: , Taylor, Wisconsin
Milking Shorthorn Associate: , Spring Valley, Wisconsin
International Red & White Show: , Argyle, New York
Red & White Associate: , Kincardine, Ontario

International Junior Holstein Show: Norm Nabholz

Norm Nabholz owns and operates Nabholz Farm in West Union, Iowa. With a keen eye for type, he has owned or sold 16 World Dairy Expo Grand Champion Jerseys and two Supreme Champions. He has also owned two All-American Grand Champions, two Royal Winter Fair Champions and five Jersey Jug Winners. In addition, Nabholz has earned multiple Premier Breeder and Exhibitor banners from coast to coast.

In 1976, he started Nabholz Sales Company and has since managed or co-managed the highest selling Jersey dispersal of all time and several of the highest selling sales in history. He sells commercial cattle privately and has exported cattle to 10 countries.

Nabholz received the Klussendorf Award at World Dairy Expo in 1989. He has judged cattle in more than 30 states and four Canadian provinces, as well as abroad. Nabholz has served as official judge three times at World Dairy Expo and three times at the Royal Winter Fair .

Junior Holstein Associate: Bob Hagenow

Bob Hagenow is sales manager for Vita Plus Corporation where his career has spanned 24 years. Hagenow and Lisa, his wife, and their two daughters, Ashley and Sarah, reside in Poynette, Wisconsin.

Having grown up on a Registered Holstein farm in eastern Wisconsin, Hagenow was active in 4-H and has continued to be active in the dairy industry. He has served as a volunteer for World Dairy Expo Dairy Cattle Show for the past 25 years.

He has judged many local, district and state level shows in numerous breeds. Hagenow served as official judge at the National Milking Shorthorn Heifer Show in 2007 and has judged more than 225 shows over the years.

In addition, Hagenow has coached several successful dairy cattle judging teams.

International Milking Shorthorn Show: Paul Trapp

Paul Trapp and wife, Sarah, live in Taylor, Wisconsin, with their two children, Kole and Beau.

Trapps’s career has spanned 18 years with ABS Global . He is currently regional sire analyst. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics with a marketing emphasis from the University of Minnesota .

Trapp and his family own an elite group of Registered Brown Swiss, Jerseys and Holsteins that have earned All-American nominations in each of those three breeds. He is also a partner in Pit-Crew Genetics, which has received 10 Brown Swiss All-American Nominations.

Trapp served five years on World Dairy Expo Dairy Cattle Exhibitor Committee and was also a member of the Young Dairy Leaders Institute inaugural class.

As he was growing up, he was awarded All-American Judging honors in both the 4-H and Intercollegiate Contests at World Dairy Expo. As an adult, Trapp has judged shows in 15 different states on the local, state and national levels including the Midwest Spring, Midwest Fall and Mideast Spring National Holstein Shows.

Trapp served as the 2010 associate Guernsey judge at World Dairy Expo and the confirmation judge at the Canadian 4-H Classic Junior Dairy Show . He has traveled to International Dairy Week to judge in Australia on multiple occasions and has judged in Brazil and Puerto Rico.

Trapp has served on the All-American panels for Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Milking Shorthorn, Red & White and Holstein.

Milking Shorthorn Associate: Peter Coyne

Peter Coyne lives in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, with his wife, Lisa, and their three children. He is a dairy field specialist for Vita Plus where he works as a consultant to several large herds in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Originally from an upstate New York Registered Holstein farm, Coyne sharpened his skills working for such notable herds as Pinehurst, Hanover Hill, Ru Ann and others while attending the University of Wisconsin-River Falls . He also worked at Schafferland Holsteins, in Minnesota, and as production manager at the 1,750-cow Jon-De Farm in Wisconsin prior to transferring to Vita Plus.

In addition to judging, Coyne enjoys coaching dairy cattle judging teams and is proud to have coached state champion 4-H judging teams in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.

International Ayrshire Show: Justin Burdette

Justin Burdette and his wife, Claire, are partners with his parents, James and Nina Burdette of Windy Knoll View Farm in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. Justin and Claire have two daughters, Reese and Brinkley. They milk 125 cows with a 25,000-pound herd average, raise 150 head of youngstock and farm nearly 500 acres of land.

Known for their outstanding breeding program, more than 150 Excellent Holsteins carry the Windy Knoll View prefix, including two 96-point, four 95-point and 12 94-point animals. More than 70- All-American or Junior All-American awards or nominations have come from the farm, with 62 of those tracing back to Windy-Knoll-View Ultimate Pala 3E-EX94-DOM. Three 10th generation Excellent cows also trace back to the first home-bred animal, Windy-Knoll-View Cindy-OC EX90. Their farm has won numerous Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor awards, including the 2006 World Dairy Expo Premier Breeder Award.

Burdette spent 10 years traveling as a cattle fitter prior to returning to become full-time at the home farm. He has judged many local, state, regional and national shows. He served as the associate judge for the Grand International Red & White Show at the 2009 World Dairy Expo.

Ayrshire Associate: Sean Johnson

Sean Johnson and his wife, Heather, live in Glenville, Pennsylvania. He is a self-employed professional hoof trimmer.

Johnson has judged numerous state and regional dairy cattle shows. He has also served as official judge at the Eastern National Red & White Show, the New York Spring Jersey Show, Maryland Spring Show and Eastern National Ayrshire Show.

International Brown Swiss Show: Chris Lahmers

Chris Lahmers, his wife, Elizabeth, and children, Elaina, Ava and Audrey live in Marysville, Ohio. Lahmers has been the dairy programs specialist for COBA/Select Sires for 12 years.

He and his family own Brown Velvet Brown Swiss and Lah-Dale Holsteins show herds. They have bred five All-American Brown Swiss. In 2005, Lahmers’ family owned the Brown Swiss Intermediate Champion at World Dairy Expo.

Lahmers has judged numerous dairy cattle shows, including the 2007 Mid-Atlantic Ayrshire Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the 2008 Eastern National Brown Swiss Show in Harrisburg, the 2009 Mid-East Fall National Holstein Show and 2010 National Guernsey Show in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2011, Lahmers served as official for the New York Red & White Spring Show and the Pennsylvania Spring Show.

Brown Swiss Associate: Jeff Brown

Jeff Brown and his wife, Megan, live in Jackson Center, Ohio. Brown is currently employed as dairy progeny specialist at Select Sires in Plain City.

He was born and raised on a Registered Holstein farm in Wapakoneta, Ohio. The family herd consists of 30 head of Holsteins, Brown Swiss and Jerseys and they continue to exhibit cows at the state and national level. The farm, Koneta Holsteins and Kar-Linn Brown Swiss have many notable accomplishments in the showring including having bred or owned an All-American nomination in all three breeds. Brown’s family has also bred four Brown Swiss class winners at World Dairy Expo which went on to become All-American.

Brown is a member of the Holstein, Brown Swiss and Jersey associations. He has judged county, district and state fairs within the U.S., as well as Costa Rica.

International Guernsey Show: Blaine Crosser

Blaine Crosser lives in Marysville, Ohio, along with his wife, Gail. Crosser has two married children, Aaron and Mandy. He is employed by Select Sires as Guernsey sire analyst and vice president – dairy sire product line & sales management.

Crosser is a member of the Type and Genetic Improvement Committee of American Guernsey Association . He has frequently read pedigrees for National Guernsey Sales. Crosser is also a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the American Guernsey Association.

Crosser owns Guernseys and houses them at Maradore Farm in Baltimore, Ohio. He has bred two All-American heifers. His family has shown at the National Guernsey Show and the Ohio State Fair earning two All-American and seven Junior All-American nominations.

Crosser has served as official judge of the International Guernsey Show at World Dairy Expo in 2000, National Guernsey Show in Canada in 2006, Oregon State Fair , Iowa State Fair , Pennsylvania Farm Show and Midwest Guernsey Classic.

Guernsey Associate: Chris Lang

Chris Lang is owner and manager of Springhill Farm of Big Prairie, Ohio. His parents, Tom and Karen Lang, and sister, Kendra Lang, are all actively involved with the farm. Springhill consists of 450 acres and nearly 600 head of dairy cattle, including 250 milking females. This herd was established in 1819 and Lang is the fifth generation of Guernsey breeders to operate the farm.

Springhill has bred more than 160 Excellent cows in the last 30 years. They have bred five National Grand or Reserve Grand Champion Holstein Females. The 2009 National Grand Champion Guernsey was exhibited by Springhill. All- American nominations in four breeds of dairy cattle have been bred or owned by Springhill.

Currently, Lang is president of the Ohio Guernsey Breeders Association.

Grand International Red & White Show: Adam Liddle

Adam Liddle owns Liddleholme Farm in Argyle, New York, with wife, Nicole, and children, Anthony, Brock and Hailee. Prior to purchasing his current farm in 2002, Liddle spent many years working for other dairies, including the world-renowned farms of PamTom and Ridgedale.

Their 58-cow Registered Holstein herd has a current BAA of 111.2 percent, which ranks as 12th high BAA in the nation for their herd size. Liddle’s interest in breeding and developing high-quality, registered cattle has resulted in numerous All-New York and Junior All-New York awards, as well as All-American and Junior All-American winners.

His judging experience includes serving on the All-American Judging panels and has judged the Northeast Fall National, the Premier National Junior Show, the Western Spring National, the Eastern Fall National, the Wisconsin Championship Show and the Wisconsin State Fair Junior Show. In 2008, Liddle was the associate judge of the International Holstein Show. He is currently a member of the World Dairy Expo Dairy Cattle Exhibitors Committee.

Red & White Associate: Adam Hodgins

Adam Hodgins and his wife, Sara, with children, Cole, Austin and Bella operate Hodglynn Holsteins in Kincardine, Ontario. Hodgins has worked as a professional dairy cattle fitter for several years prior to farming.

Hodgins has exhibited numerous All-Canadian and All-American nominees. Perhaps the most notable cow that he has exhibited was Starbrite Lyster Lyndsay, EX 96-2E, nominated for Reserve Champion at the 2010 Royal Winter Fair . In 2010, Hodgins exhibited three Reserve All-American and four All-Canadian nominees.

Central National Jersey Show: Hank Van Exel

Hank Van Exel and his wife, Carolyn, son Adam married to Lacey with their daughters, Madison and Atlee, farm in Lodi, California. Daughter Sarah, her husband, Jarett, and son, Jackson, are currently living in Hanford, California. Daughter Jennifer and husband, Brian, are currently living in Galt, California. They currently manage 1,800 acres and operate two dairies. Their 1,700-cow milking herd is comprised of 1,400 Holsteins and 300 Jerseys.

Van Exel and his family have been successful in exhibiting dairy cattle at World Dairy Expo, having partnership in the Reserve Grand Champion in both the Holstein and Jersey Shows. He is now serving on the Holstein Association USA Board of Directors.

Van Exel’s previous judging assignments include the Central National Jersey Show, Eastern National Jersey and Holstein Shows, the Royal Winter Fair Holstein Show, Midwest Jersey Spring Show and the All-American Jersey Show in Louisville twice.

Jersey Associate: Nathan Thomas

Nathan Thomas and his wife, Jenny, along with son, Colton, reside in Cable, Ohio. They are partner owners along with Nathan’s family in Triple-T Holsteins & Jerseys in North Lewisburg, Ohio. The milking herd consists of 20 Registered Holsteins and Jerseys. The Holsteins rank second in the nation for BAA at 114.4 percent. Thomas was a professional cattle fitter for 13 years.

Thomas and his family have worked with, owned or bred more than 50 All-American Nominations, both Holstein and Jersey, over the last six years. One of the most recent was the 2009 Junior Champion Holstein of both World Dairy Expo and the Royal Winter Fair .

Thomas has judged various county and regional Holstein and Jersey shows. He also served as official judge at the Kansas All Breeds Junior Show.

International Holstein Show: Gerald Coughlin Jr.

Gerald Coughlin, Jr. lives in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada where he and his family own and operate Trent Valley Holsteins and Jersey, farming 250 acres and milking 30 cows. Winner of the 1994 Klussendorf-Mackenzie Award presented at World Dairy Expo, and the Curtis Clark Award, presented at the Royal Winter Fair , Coughlin shares his knowledge and enthusiasm for dairy cattle with youth as a 4-H leader.

Coughlin has bred and owned a number of All-American and All-Canadian cattle. He has also owned, in partnership, two World Dairy Expo Grand Champion Holsteins. One of his more recognized animals, Kingsway Dundee Abra Codabra, placed first at the 2007 Royal Winter Fair and topped the Royal Exhilaration Sale at $80,000. In the past five years, 17 of her family members have been All-Canadian or Reserve All-Canadian.

Coughlin has judged state and county shows and served as associate judge for both the 2000 and 2007 International Holstein Show at World Dairy Expo.

Holstein Associate: Joel Phoenix

Joel Phoenix along with his wife, Jessica, and son, Jacob, farm in Cannington, Ontario, Canada. The farm company name is Phoenix Equestrian & Holsteins and their prefix is Dappleview Holsteins. His wife rides for the Canadian Equestrian Olympic team and competed in Brazil at the Pan-American Games, as well as, the World Championships. Their 100-acre farm crops consist mostly of hay and some corn, as well as grain. They also merchandise hay, beef cattle and horses.

The herd of 25 Registered Holstein milking cows is housed at other locations with around 20 heifers at Dappleview. Joel’s parents, Jim and Cathy Phoenix, as well as, his sisters, Marcie, Jenna and Ashleigh all help out a lot while Joel and Jessica travel.

Phoenix and his father have owned and merchandised many All-Canadian and All-American nominations over the past 10 years. Phoenix was also the Grand Champion Showman in the 2000 Scotiabank Hays Classic.

Dairy cattle show fans will want to be sure to attend the Parade of Champions on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. The coveted 2011 Supreme Champion will be selected from the pool of breed champions, which will be named throughout the week. This prestigious award will culminate in a grand pageant celebrating the beauty of more than 2,500 head of elite dairy show cattle. PD

—From World Dairy Expo news release