California Meeting 2020

Award Presentations

Mike Wickstrom, Hilmar, was presented the Senior Jersey Breeder Award by his brother and business partner, Scott Wickstrom. Together with his father, Duane, Scott, and son, Brent, he operates Wickstrom Jersey Farm Inc. In 2007, Red Top Jerseys was formed in partnership with Duane and Scott, as well as Delton, Lloyd and Brad Nyman. This partnership later started 140 Cattle Company, a heifer-raising facility in neighboring Livingston, with Chuck and Mark Ahlem in 2012.

Mike has dedicated his life to serving the Jersey cow. He served on the board of directors for National All-Jersey Inc., sat on the All American committees and co-chaired the 2016 AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings held in San Diego, Calif. He is also a former president of Jerseyland Sires, has served as the dairy representative on the California Beef council and has been a Hilmar firefighter for more than 20 years. Mike and Scott received the AJCC Young Jersey Breeder Award in 1988.

Wickstrom Jersey Farm Inc. and Red Top Jerseys each rank among the top 10 large herds (750 or more cows) for all measures for production, with 2019 m.e. lactation averages over 21,000 lbs. milk, 1,040 lbs. fat and 790 lbs. protein. Wickstrom Jersey Farm is also a charter member of Project Equity, contributing to the equitable milk pricing movement for more than four decades.

Both herds are enrolled on REAP, utilize JerseyTags for identification, use JerseyMate for their matings. Both rank among the top 25 herds in the country for genetic merit, with herd average JPIs over +86. The Wickstroms frequently consign to Jersey sales, including the All American Jersey Sale, the Pot O’Gold Sale and the National Heifer Sale.

As C.A. Russell presented Tyler Boyd, Hilmar, with the Young Jersey Breeder Award, he stated, “This person has won this award through hard work.” He went on to further explain the success and accomplishments Tyler has seen throughout the beginning of his career.

Some would say Tyler was able to turn his passion for Jersey cattle and genetics into a career. He became the general manager of Jerseyland Sires in 2014 which has since evolved. Tyler played a vital role in developing Primus Genetics, the female division of Jerseyland Sires.

Not a California native, Tyler ventured west when he began his role with Jerseyland. He is the sixth generation on his family’s Jersey farm, Boyd-Lee Jerseys in Parrottsville, Tenn. As a youth, Tyler showed at local, state and national shows, as well as being involved with a variety of youth dairy programs.

The 2008 National Jersey Youth Achievement Winner, Tyler was also invested in a variety of Jersey youth programs. He was a member of the Tennessee Junior Jersey Cattle Club, competed in TalkJersey and was a part of the inaugural class of Jersey Youth Academy.

Tyler began his next level of service to the Jersey breed when elected to the board of directors of the American Jersey Cattle Association in 2019. He currently sits on the Finance and Breed Improvement committees. Tyler has also consigned animals to both the Pot O’Gold Sale and National Heifer Sale.

Bill Hobby of Hughson was honored with the 2020 Distinguished Service Award. With a lifetime of experience in the dairy industry, Bill’s latest venture has been as an educator with Modesto Junior College (MJC). Beginning his tenure in 2004, Bill has impacted nearly every student that has gone through his classroom and dairy judging team.

On the course description for his advanced dairy cattle selection and evaluation class, he wrote, “This class will teach you ways to stay organized when you are evaluating/appraising anything in life, not just cows. Developing a method to maximize your intake, recall what you have seen, and then justify to a supervisor is what you will be doing the rest of your life.”

A graduate of MJC himself, as well as Cal Poly, Bill spent 21 years in the A.I. industry, first employed by US Genes and then as a co-owner of Network Genetics. He went later to Hughson High School as an educator.

Bill will begin his retirement from MJC in June 2020, but will be forever remembered, appreciated and regarded as someone who has had an extreme impact on the dairy industry members of today and tomorrow.

As presenter CJCA President Jim Quist, Fresno, said in his presentation, “In his heart, mind and core, Bill’s gift and call is as a mentor and educator, inspiring others to flourish, to create and to grow, and I believe, will continue to be at the forefront of his thoughts and actions.