By MEGGIE I. FOSTER
Assistant Editor

COLUMBUS, Ohio—For more than a quarter-century, members of the Buckeye Dairy Club have hosted one of the most elite club calf sales in the Midwest, according to 2007 sale co-chair Michele Lahmers.

This year is no different. The Buckeye Classic Sale set record high averages and sold Lot A, a first-choice female Holstein for $12,500. And Lot A isn’t even born yet – she is a first-choice female sired by Ocean-View Zenith-TW-ET, and her dam is an eighth-generation excellent cow named Gloryland Lexie Rae-Et, according to Lahmers.

The lot was sold by John Whetzel and David Tait of Virginia, and purchased by Evan Darko, also of Virginia.

“Last year we sold our highest lot ever at $10,100, and this year we broke that record high again,” Lahmers said.

During the Spring Dairy Expo this year, the Buckeye Dairy Club sold 30 registered Holsteins, 25 Jerseys and 10 Guernseys in the Classic on March 30. The Classic has been hosted during the Dairy Expo in Columbus for nearly 27 years.

In the early years, the sale took place on the campus of Ohio State University.

“But as interest grew, the site of the sale transitioned over to the Expo, and it has been a success every since, said Lahmers.
“In 2006 we were ranked the second-highest club sale in the nation, and this year I think we will be close to being Number One again.”

During that time, interested buyers continued to flock from across the country to view the lots at the Classic.

Whether they be Holstein, Jersey or Guernsey, the Buckeyes are sure to have a calf to suit everyone’s needs, said Lahmers. Many of the heifers are just the right age to show, while others are carrying the genetics for record milk production.

The Dairy Club, with more than 100 members, starts organizing the sale in the fall and elects three co-chairs who organize and execute the Buckeye Classic Holstein, Jersey and Guernsey Sales.

Some of the major responsibilities include arranging consignments, facility set-up, hiring an auctioneer, preparing advertisements and promotional materials, including a catalog, and securing day-of supplies such as bedding, feed and hay and show halters.

“It’s a lot of hard work – it takes about 20 to 25 members to help out throughout the week, and we also have about six to seven alumni that step in and help out,” said Lahmers. “Alumni serve as mentors and advisors; that is one thing that makes our sale so unique.”

One alumni member, Jeff Ziegler, 1983 sale chair and current manager of protein breed programs at Select Sires in Plain City, Ohio, has been involved as an alumni member for 10 years.

“Basically, I look at it that I appreciated the support from alumni when I was in school, and I give a hand anyway that I can,” said Ziegler. “Our job as alumni is to lead them in the right direction, by notifying them of potential buyers and giving them little hints along the way.”

Ziegler said the alumni team that assists every year is usually comprised of past-chairpersons who have a notable presence in the industry.

According to Ziegler, the sale has continued its success throughout the years for three reasons.

“The Ohio dairy industry has been very supportive of the sale,” he said. “And the Dairy Club has found that they can get really good consignments every year.

“Thirdly, the students have been motivated to succeed. Michele has done a fabulous job this year – every time I called her, she followed up on that call and was always on the ball.”

Lahmers accredits the sale’s success to the work of the three co-chairs, including Annie Specht and Jason Nuhfer, the active alumni and the 20-plus Buckeye Dairy Club members who have put great effort into the sale for 27 years running.

For more information on the Buckeye Classic, visit www.buckeyedairyclub.osu.edu online.