Branch Awards

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The Alberta Holstein Association is proud to present several awards throughout the year.  Alberta Breeder of the Year, President Club Cow Award, the Curtis Clark Award and  Marj Atkins Achievement Award, Provincial Barn Cow Award, Best Bred & Owned Awards, and Top 4-H Member Awards.

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Alberta Breeder of the Year

The Alberta Holstein Association initiated the Breeder of the Year Award in February 2002 in Barrhead, AB. This award is presented annually at the Alberta Holstein Association Annual Meeting and will honor outstanding Alberta Breeders and their families.  The award is based on the years accomplishments of the herd including production, classification and show records.

Information on each club Breeder of the Year nominee should include:

• The Completed Scorecardd
•  Herd Conformation Trends (most recent before November 1^st) from Holstein Canada.
•  Herd Management Report (most recent before November 1^st) from Lactanet.
•  Breeder Write Up (includes show accomplishments, breed involvement and extra achievements)
•  8-10 photos
• How to get the reports (please see the examples below)

•  Herd Management-Herd Monitor report
•       Lactanet.ca
•          My website (login)
•               Reports
•                    Herd Management-Herd Monitor (Last Lactanet visit before November 1, 2023)

• Herd Conformation Trends
•       Holstein.ca
•          Login    
•              Online Services
•                   Conformation
•                        Click last visit date before November 1
•                             Herd Conformation Trends (Top right corner)

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2025 Alberta Breeder of the Year Club Winners

CRHC – Skycrest Holsteins- Rob & Sue, Chad & Katelyn Crest

NAHC – Myowming Holsteins- Wilbur & Linda Hofstra & Family

CAHC – Chubanna Holsteins- Andrew & Anna Wildeboer & Family

SAHC – Ostara Holsteins- Johan & Ytje de Haan & Family

GAHC – Southern Skies Dairy Farm- Ivan Veurink

Congratulations to Chubanna Holsteins on winning the 2025 Alberta Breeder of the Year!

It’s very much an honour to win the Central Alberta Holstein Club Breeder of the Year Award & in turn, be a contender for the Alberta Holstein Association Breeder of the Year. 2025 rewarded us with many meaningful achievements. We were super excited to travel to The Royal in November, 2024 & see 2 Chubanna-bred animals on the big stage. Chubanna Lucky Duck EX91 2E showed in the Red & White Mature Cow class, & Chubanna Amaethon Dionne in the Spring Yearling class. We were also able to watch Adyson win Reserve Champion showman in the Jersey Canada Youth Showmanship Competition.

Our 2025 show season started off strong with the Reserve Champion Red & White at the Alberta Dairy Congress with Lucky Chubanna Sparkle. Sparkle would continue to excel through the summer, winning Grand Champion at our Achievement Day/Open show, Grand Champion at the Alberta Youth Dairy Provincials, Honorable Mention at the Westgen Canadian Classic show, then finally Reserve Champion Red & White heifer at the Westerner Dairy Showcase. We’d also receive Honorable Mention Red & White heifer in Red Deer, with Chubanna Lite It Up Crimson.

The kids have had valuable opportunities to work for, & alongside other great western breeders, both at shows & on-farm. In addition to their show ring success, they were awarded in many competitive categories at both the Alberta Youth Provincials & the Westgen Canadian Classic youth show in August, earning Aggregate awards, showmanship awards, Top Senior & Junior overall judge, first in Junior clipping, as well as the Jamie Donahoe Memorial Award & Logan Chalack Memorial Heart & Hustle Award.

We continue to be active members in the Udderly Unique 4-H Dairy Club, as well as Woodynook CRC. The kids participate in both community & school sports & Andrew sits on the CAHC board as a director.

We attained 6 VG 2 year olds, 4 EX, 3 ME, & 9 Starbrood animals last year.
Our herd breakdown: 8ME, 8EX, 63VG, 43GP, 7G. 61% VG or Better

Production honours in 2025 resulted in:
46 Superior Production awards, 6 Super 3’s, 1 Super 4
6 cows hitting the 60,000 kg mark, 4 at 80,000kg & 2 reaching 100,000kgs

Our RHA: 298-357-328 13790kg M 614kg F 485kg P

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Past Winners

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President’s Club Cow

Each club calculates their top cow based on the formula below. The winner then goes on to compete at the Provincial level with cows from all 5 Clubs. The winner is presented at the AGM.

President’s Club Cow Calculation Spreadsheet

Past Winners:

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Provincial Barn Cow Award

The 1st Annual Alberta Barn Cow of the Year was awarded to New Mars Fever Beyoncé from the Northern Alberta Holstein Club!

Congrats to the other club Barn Cow nominees:
NAHC- New Mars Avenger Imke- New Mars Dairy
SAHC- Benthemmer Legend Jorryn- Van Benthem Dairy
GAHC- Rietben Lis Royale- Nifera Holsteins

Past Winners

2024- New Mars Fever Beyoncé – New Mars Dairy- NAHC

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Curtis Clark Award

Curtis Clark of Carstairs, Alberta – the highly respected cowman and Master Breeder of Acme Holsteins and a former Holstein Association of Canada National President.

In 1988, the Alberta Branch of Holstein Canada decided to honour Clark with the establishment of the Curtis Clark Award, presented annually at The Royal Winter Fair.
The initial presentation was a complete surprise to Clark, and so was the commemorative trophy. Clark’s wife in cooperation with the organizers, smuggled one of his hats out of the house and it reappeared bronzed and mounted on the plaque that records the names of the award winners. It’s sometimes said of leaders in an industry that theycast a long shadow. Curtis Clark’s shadow followed him around barns and show rings for many years, sharing the knowledge of the dairy industry, his warm personality …and his trademark hat. He was everybody’s friend, a good sport, good showman and was always into a good breeding program. The Curtis Clark Award is meant to honour those skills, as well as Clark’s reputation as a “gentleman showman”.

2025 Award Recipient

Herb Henderson of Hendercroft Holsteins, Ashton, Ontario

Herb Henderson of Hendercroft Holsteins, Ashton, ON, won the 2025 Curtis Clark Achievement Award presented on November 14th at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.

Herb Henderson, 62, is a humble man whose passion for good cows and showing is seldom equalled. Recipient of a Holstein Canada Master Breeder award in 2001, Henderson has bred and developed one of Canada’s most consistent breeding and show herds. A longtime exhibitor at local and major shows, Hendercroft Holsteins has been Premier Breeder 15X and Premier Exhibitor 6X at the Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec (EO/WQ) Championship Show and was runner-up for Premier Breeder at the Royal Winter Fair National Holstein Show in 2023. Hendercroft has earned multiple All-Canadian and All-Ontario Holstein nominations and Herb is particularly proud of his Breeder’s Herd nominations which include Reserve All-Canadian Breeder’s Herd in 2018 and 2023 and All-Ontario Breeder’s Herd in 2023 and 2024. At the heart of Henderson’s success has been the cow family of Hendercroft Lheros Gumball (EX-96-6E-36*) who had 22 Excellent daughters. Gumball and two of her daughters, Hendercroft Fever Bazooka (EX-96-4E-7*) and Hendercroft Winbrok Gummybear (EX-95-4E-4*), have all been finalists for Holstein Canada’s coveted “Cow of the Year” award. Gumball and Bazooka were Canada’s first Excellent-96 Holstein dam and daughter duo and both were Grand Champion at the EO/WQ Championship Show. Gummybear was All-Canadian Longtime Production Cow in 2023. Henderson has bred over 100 Excellent cows (166 to the end of 2024). The current line-up at Hendercroft includes 14 Multiple Excellent, 8 Excellent, 40 Very Good and 18 Good Plus cows. Henderson is an Official Judge and has judged many shows in Ontario and Quebec. He is a member of Holstein Ontario’s Judges Committee, a former 4-H leader and broomball coach, and a mentor to many. Herb and his wife Darlene have three children and currently farm with their son Chad.

Herb Henderson is the 37th winner of the Curtis Clark Achievement Award which recognizes a Canadian dairy cattle exhibitor who is respected for their ability, sportsmanship and dedication. The award was established by the Alberta Holstein Association in 1988 to honour the late Curtis Clark of Acme Holsteins, a noted Alberta Holstein breeder, cowman and showman.

Past Winners

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Marj Atkins Achievement Award

In 2013, the Alberta Holstein Association created a new “Lifetime Achievement” Award, the Marj Atkins Achievement Award.

Criteria for award:
– Is an Alberta Holstein special achievement award that includes breed involvement
– Lifetime achievement
– No nominations from the local clubs required
– Exclusive award
– Might not  be awarded every year
– Only for Breeders
– Announced at the AGM in the evening
– Presented at the family picnic
– Recipient needs to be at one time a Holstein Canada member

2025 Recipient– Rob & Sue Crest

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Past Winners

Committee: Alberta Holstein Association President, Alberta Holstein Association Awards Chair, Tim Knull and Bob Reck. Future award winners will be added to the committee.

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Top 4-H Member Awards
Each year Alberta Holstein sponsors a true type model to be presented to each of the four 4-H Clubs top member or Grand Champion.

2019
Moos on the Moove- Kyle Van Dijk
Rollyview- Tyson Rietveld
Udderly Unique- Hannah Vanderlinde
Green Acres-

2018
Moos on the Move- Jantiena Hoeve
Rollyview- Neik Schrijver
Udderly Unique- Alice Hehli
Green Acres- Aaron Van Steekelenburg

2017
Moos on the Move- Rolynn Bikker
Rollyview- Neik Schrijver
Udderly Unique- Zoe Mienen
Green Acres- TBA March 2018

2016
Moos on the Moove- Marina Hoeve
Rollyview- Emily Martin
Udderly Unique- Kristy van de Brake
Green Acres- Emma van Steekelenburg

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