News Release

Friday, October 6, 2017

CONTACT: Lisa Behnke, Communications Manager, lbehnke@wdexpo.com
                   Jenna Langrehr, Communications Specialist, jlangrehr@wdexpo.com
PHONE:      608-224-6455

Italian wins the Klussendorf-MacKenzie Award

MADISON, WIS. – Paul Petriffer of Funes, Italy, was presented the 27th Klussendorf-MacKenzie Award in memory of Duncan MacKenzie, the 1961 Klussendorf winner, on October 6, during the 51st World Dairy Expo. Petriffer, affectionately known to many as “Paulo”, is the first recipient of this award to live outside of North America, truly reflecting the changing global scope of dairy cattle shows. 

Since making his first trip to North America as a teenager, with a willingness to learn and carrying a friendly attitude to this day, Petriffer has been the go-to guy for many of North America’s finest show herds. Throughout the past thirty years, Petriffer has worked with top herds including Rosedale, Keightley Core, Carrousel, Lylehaven, Lookout, MD-Hillbrook, Dupasquier, Stanhope-Wedgwood, and Walkerbrae at World Dairy Expo. In 2009, his role at WDE changed when he was selected as the associate judge of the International Holstein Show.

The list of champions that this award winner has prepared would fill a book. In fact, Petriffer probably has laid a brush on more champions worldwide than anybody in the business. This is just a partial list of the great cows he has worked with in North America — Buggs Blackstar Buffy, Quality-Ridge Stormi Hazel, Responses Wonder, Leduc Broker Mandy, and Kinyon Linjet Ideal. On top of that, there are Lavender Ruby Redrose-Red, Vandyk-K Integrity Paradise, and Waymar Patrick Nadine who were all named Supreme Champion on World Dairy Expo’s colored shavings. Outside of North America, Petriffer has worked with more champions worldwide in the past 20 years than any other cowman.

For over five decades, the global dairy industry has been meeting in Madison, Wis. for World Dairy Expo. Crowds of nearly 75,000 people from more than 100 countries attended the annual event in 2016. WDE will return Oct. 3-7, 2017 as attendees and exhibitors are encouraged to “Discover New Dairy Worlds.” Visit worlddairyexpo.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@WDExpo or #WDE2017) for more information. 

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