editor’s note
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Well it’s a new year and a perfect time to make plans for your life and farm for 2016. I hope you will make plans to attend the Ontario Holstein Branch AGM that will be held in February in Cornwall in beautiful Glengarry! Also, plan to take in the many farm tours as breeders open their doors for the Annual District tours. All of the details are available further back in The Link starting on page 36. This issue is full of ‘results’ as well. You will find the All-Ontario results, write-ups on the National Holstein Show from the Royal, the TD Canadian 4-H Dairy Classic, the first Ontario Holstein Junior All Ontario Program and summaries of regional shows. You will also find what results from fighting for your dream in our breeder feature on Kuiperscrest Holsteins or the results of spectacular management of Master Breeder herd, Summitholm Holsteins in our Black and White section. Lastly, they say ‘time flies when you’re having fun’! As I hand The Link back over to editor Andrea Emond, returning from her maternity leave, I want to thank the Ontario Holstein Branch for their continued trust in myself and 31st Line Communications to keep The Link going while Andrea was away. I sincerely have enjoyed meeting many breeders and industry people from across our great province. I will truly miss this position and memories I have made working on The Link. Sincerely,
Julie McIntosh, Interim Link Editor thelink@ontario.holstein.ca
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general mana ger’s messa ge
What a great two months at Ontario Holstein! We had a successful TD Canadian 4-H Dairy Classic that gave 355 young people the opportunity to show their county pride and achievement of hard work with their animals. It was an opportunity of a lifetime to stay and show in the Ricoh Coliseum at the Royal Winter Fair. The excitement and high caliber of animals at the National Holstein Show show found the Grand Champion bred by one of our Waterloo Club members! Going through a number of Club Annual Meetings at the time of writing this, it is great to see the enthusiasm of our club members, directors, sponsors and host farms! As the year came to a close, we had committee meetings to review and time to wrap up the year and plan for the opportunities in 2016. The success of the events for Ontario Holstein members and your children is the willingness and energy of all the volunteers that make these events happen. There is always opportunity for more volunteers to help make good events great. Great events make strong clubs and strong clubs make for a strong Ontario Holstein Branch which in turn makes for a strong national Holstein Canada! I will invite you take the opportunity to attend your Ontario Holstein Annual General Meeting in Cornwall to celebrate another great year promoting our Holstein breed. There is a super program including farm tours to see and talk to your fellow members and share in the ideas of those farm operations. If you are unable to take the time to travel to the most easterly part of our province there will be District Farm tours closer to home in early spring 2016. Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2016! Regards,
Peter Brand, General Manager, Ontario Holstein Branch
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Link WINTER 2016
www.ontario.holstein.ca