Since its beginning in 1966, World Dairy Expo has grown to become one of the best trade shows and dairy cattle expositions around the globe. How much do you know about this place where people and cows come together? Find out with these trivia questions:
Q: Every year, cattle from across the U.S. and Canada make their way to Madison for World Dairy Expo. In 2015, how many head made the journey?
A: In 2015, 2,296 animals made the trip from their home farms to Madison, Wisconsin, for World Dairy Expo.
Q: The iconic globe has been a symbol of World Dairy Expo since the very first show in 1967. Who was the original painter of the World Dairy Expo globe?
A: Pete Willoughby, a retired agricultural journalism professor at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, was the original designer and painter of the World Dairy Expo globe.
Q: The Purple Cow Gift Shop is a must-stop for thousands of the expo’s attendees each year. How many World Dairy Expo-imprinted items were available at the Purple Cow Gift Shop during the 2015 show?
A: There were 8,753 imprinted World Dairy Expo items available at the Purple Cow Gift Shop in 2015. That included 4,331 screen-printed shirts, 1,859 embroidered shirts and coats, 876 embroidered hats and 1,687 other imprinted items.
Q: One of the biggest surprises at World Dairy Expo each year is the color of the show ring shavings. Exhibiting on the colored shavings – which range in color from red to green to violet – is a goal of many dairy producers worldwide. How many times have the show ring shavings been red?
A: Red shavings were used in four different show ring displays: Designer Dairy in 2014, World’s Greatest Dairy Show in 1997, Excitement is Building in 1994 and Orient in 1990.
Q: Each year, FFA students from around the country attend World Dairy Expo for the chance to experience the show and participate in a variety of hands-on, educational activities. How many FFA members attended the expo in 2015?
A: 3,769 FFA members attended the expo in 2015.
Q: Each year, World Dairy Expo honors the top breeder in each show with the Premier Breeder award. How many different exhibitors, across all breeds, have received the Premier Breeder award?
A: There have been 93 different Premier Breeder award winners at World Dairy Expo across all breed shows.
Q: The expo’s iconic mums are not only used in the show ring but throughout the grounds. Mums of every color are used to draw attention to commercial exhibitor booths. How many mums were displayed in the trade show last year?
A: There were 210 mums used to decorate the various trade show booths during the expo last year.
Q: World Dairy Expo wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Badger Dairy Club Cheese Stand. How many grilled cheese sandwiches were sold at the 2015 show?
A: There were 8,080 grilled cheese sandwiches sold during last year’s show.
Q: Since the New Holland Pavilions were completed, how many World Dairy Expo cattle have they housed?
A: In 2014, 2,334 animals were checked in on-grounds, with 2,296 in 2015. However, some animals were housed in tents. Therefore, the total housed in the New Holland Pavilions since they were completed is 4,055.
Q: Since 1967, 224 people have been tapped to serve as official or associate judges. Of those judges, how many have been women, and can you name them?
A: Including the women elected to judge in 2016, 12 ladies have been on the colored shavings evaluating cattle: Katie Bue, Barb Lee, Cathy Yeoman, Alta Mae Core, Julie Butler Hemp, Bonnie Ayars, Sherry Smith, Mary Creek, Marcia Schradle and Kelli Cull have all judged once. Molly Sloan and Carrie Chickering-Sears have been selected as judges twice.
Q: How many pounds of shavings are ordered each year?
A: Each year, World Dairy Expo uses 23 tons – or 46,000 pounds – of custom-dyed shavings.
Q: In 2015, how many companies took part in the expo?
A: 871
Q: Mike Ashworth has been playing ringside at World Dairy Expo for 36 years. How many hours of music has Mike provided during his playing tenure?
A: Collectively, over the last 35 years, Mike Ashworth has played 2,063 hours – or 83 days straight.
Q: The Alliant Energy Center, home to World Dairy Expo, has seen a lot of changes over the years, most recently in 2014 with the addition of the New Holland Pavilions. Of the current buildings on-grounds, which is the oldest, and what year was it originally built?
A: The Arena Building – home to some of the expo’s commercial exhibitors – was built in 1953, making it the oldest building on the grounds.
Q: How many Red and White Holsteins were exhibited on the blue shavings in 2015?
A: In 2015, 2,261 total cattle were exhibited at World Dairy Expo. Of these, 243 were Red and White Holsteins, adding patriotic flair to the blue shavings.
Q: What legendary cow won four Grand Champion Holstein titles and four Supreme Champion titles (1982, 1984, 1985 and 1987), a feat no cow has been able to duplicate?
A: Brookview Tony Charity
Q: What Brown Swiss has dominated the ring at World Dairy Expo, winning six grand champion titles in eight years and being named supreme champion in 2003 and reserve supreme champion in 2008 and 2009?
A: Old Mill E Snickerdoodle
Q: How many gallons of ice cream were served at the GEA ice cream stand last year?
A: 1,467 gallons 
PHOTOS: How World Dairy Expo looked in the past. Photos courtesy of WDE.
