2019 Illinois Holstein
The Schluter family was presented with the 2019 Illinois Holstein of the Year award for Schluter Unstp Aspen-Red-ET
ILLINOIS HOLSTEIN OF THE YEAR
The 2019 Illinois Holstein of the Year Contest was held on the Illinois Holstein Association’s Facebook page and the winner was selected based on the number of “likes” received. This year’s contest received over 2,000 “likes” and reached over 23,000 people. The winner received 829 votes. Sired by Unstopabull-Red, her dam is Hilrose DB (Diamondback) Allie-Red VG-89. In 2019, she was named All-American Red & White Winter Calf and was Honorable Mention Junior Champion Red & White at World Dairy Expo. She was also Junior Champion Open Show & Honorable Mention Junior Champion Junior Show at NAILE’s Red & White shows and at the Illinois Championship Show, she was Bred & Owned Junior Champion Open & Junior Show. Congratulations to Schluter Unstp Aspen-Red-ET, bred and owned by Olivia Schluter!
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Boyd Schaufelberger has had a passion for Registered Holsteins his entire life. His Registered Holstein journey began on the home farm, Schaufine Farms. The farm was started by his parents in 1945. In 1965, the herd began registering animals under the Schaufine prefix, and by 1975 the farm became fully registered. Boyd, and wife Sandy, purchased the farm in 1981. Along with their two daughters, Erin and Amy, the family enjoyed exhibiting cattle at local state and national shows and staying active in the dairy industry. In 2016, the Schaufine herd was dispersed. Because of his active involvement and strong leadership, Boyd was a familiar face at Holstein events for many years. As a result, The Legacy Showcase at Schaufine Farms drew a great crowd of Registered Holstein enthusiasts from across the country. Boyd reflected at the sale that the real blessing of his family’s involvement in the dairy industry has been the people. For him, they are what makes the business interesting and rewarding. The sale was a testament to Boyd’s legacy as a great cowman and was considered a great success. At the time of the dispersal, the herd of 120 cows had a rolling herd average of 26,565#, 3.6F 966# 3.0P 803# with a BAA of 109.2. Boyd’s dedication to the Holstein Association on the local, state and national level has been exemplary. From serving as the announcer for the open show at the State Holstein Show to supporting State and club Holstein sales, he is always willing to lend a hand when called upon. Boyd has also taken on several leadership roles and been an integral part of the Illinois Holstein Association. He has served as state sale chair, publications chair, legislative affair chair, been a Director for six years and served on the Executive Committee for three years. He was also honored with the dedication of the 2014 IL State Championship Show, 2014 IL Senior Breeder Award and 1994 IL Junior Breeder Award. Most notably, he recently completed his ten-year tenure on the Holstein USA Board of Directors. Boyd fulfilled two terms as a National Director, and he served on the Executive Committee, Legislative Affairs Committee, Genetic Advancement Committee and Audit Committee. He also served as Vice President from 2015-2017 and recently completed his 26 - MIDWEST HOLSTEINS, Spring 2020
Boyd Schaufelberger was presented with the 2019 Illinois Holstein Distinguished Service Award and is pictured with his wife Sandy
term as President. Outside of the Holstein Association, Boyd has been involved on the Illinois DHIA board, Dairy Lab Services board, Prairie State Select Sires board, the Select Sires Holstein Sire Committee and Prairie Farms dairy cooperative board. Boyd is also actively involved in the Greenville First Christian Church and helps out with many FFA and 4-H events. Throughout Boyd’s decades of involvement in the dairy industry, he has seen a lot of change. He is a life-long learner committed to staying current on changing dairy industry economics and technology. As a director of a member organization, he believes you should always keep the interests of the members at the forefront of every decision. Not only does Boyd embrace opportunities to serve, he also encourages others to be involved. In his retiring address at the 2019 National Holstein Convention, he challenged Holstein USA members to think about your legacy with the association and your role to help with the challenges we face. A life of dedication to the farm and makes for a long list of accomplishments, but his greatest accomplishment is his family. They have two daughters – Erin Davis, who along with husband Kris, have four children: Lydia, Daniel, Sarah and Isaiah. They reside in central Illinois, and they enjoy visiting the farm and exhibiting calves at the Gateway District Show and Bond County Fair. Daughter Amy, and husband Brad Hoover, and their son Brock live and farm in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Boyd continues to own cows in partnership with Brad and Amy and exhibits cattle in Pennsylvania and at World Dairy Expo. Congratulations Boyd on receiving the 2019 Illinois Holstein Service Award!
SENIOR BREEDER AWARD
Brothers Don and Larry Gueldener have been farming together for forty years. While growing up on their family’s dairy farm, the pair would wake up at 5am to milk and do chores before they would go to school. They credit their parents with instilling in them a strong work ethic and the mindset that hard work and doing things right would pay-off with a successful future. Year-over-year Don and Larry made breeding and management decisions to help improve the herd. In 1980, when Larry graduated, they began using A.I. sires and purchasing Registered Holstein calves at the Highland Calf Sale, PDCA Calf Sale, Clinton County Classic and a few local dispersals. In 1990, they started DHIA testing and classifying. They garnered interest from bull studs for their homebred high production cow, Gueldener Elton Elita VG-87 GMD DOM with a top record of 5-02 2x 365d 39730m 3.8 1518F 2.9 1139P. Don and Larry sent sons to A.I. studs including Alta Genetics, Select Sires and ABS. After fulfilling the bull contracts, Don and Larry flushed Elita to high type bulls Ked Juror and Second-Look Jolt. The resulting calves solidified their breeding philosophy for a balance of high production and high type. Don and Larry bred for enough strength and width in their cows so that they could withstand high production and still be bred back on time.