While the extravagant decorations of the Showring provide a feast for the eyes of those attending one of the breed cattle shows at World Dairy Expo (WDE), a variety of musical performances throughout the shows bring multiple treats for the ears.
Most apparent is the nearly non-stop stream of background music flowing through the Coliseum building starting with the opening of the International Ayrshire Show early Tuesday morning and continuing through the International Holstein Show late Saturday afternoon. “Music in the Showring is a tradition at Expo,” says Ann Marie Magnochi, WDE Dairy Cattle Show manager. “It creates an ambience and adds entertainment value for the exhibitors and attendees.”
For more than three decades, the Showring music was provided almost exclusively by Mike Ashworth, accordion player from Lodi, Wis. When Ashworth stepped down a few years ago, the reins were turned over to keyboard artist James Walter, Stoughton, Wis. Last year, fellow keyboarder Larry Stout of Baraboo, Wis joined Walter at the show.
For the most part, Walter and Stout are free to pick which songs they’ll play. Genres range from country, folk and polkas to jazz, classical and big band. “There’s such a wide range of ages of people in the audience,” says Stout. “We try to mix it up so there’s a little something for everyone.”
“Our mission is to create a certain level of energy in the arena,” adds Walter. “To do it well, you have to be able to look around at the crowd and have a feel for what you should be playing, how loud you should play, how fast or slow and how to mix things up. If you can look out at the crowd and see people tapping their feet and nodding their heads along with the music, you know you’re getting it right.”
Several of the breed associations add to the entertainment provided by Walter and Stout with special musical performances during their individual grand champion naming ceremonies. At the conclusion of the International Ayrshire Show, Madison area musicians Sean Michael Dargan and Tom Greenhalgh, dressed in historical Scottish garb, are on hand with bagpipes to play traditional Scottish marching tunes along with reels and jigs. “It’s a way to connect the show to the Ayrshires’ Scottish roots,” says Dargan. “We bring a certain artistic flair to the event. The bagpipes are a unique instrument that people don’t get to hear every day. It’s something special, and it’s just plain fun.”
A performance by the New Glarus Yodel Club (Jodlerklub) during the International Brown Swiss Show offers another opportunity to experience music from another part of the world. The club was founded in 1928 by Swiss immigrants in New Glarus, Wis. who wanted to preserve yodeling and other traditions from their home country.
Members of the club lead the parade of Brown Swiss champions Swiss show into the ring. Along with yodeling, club members, dressed in traditional Swiss garb, toss Swiss flags, blow 10-foot long alpenhorns, and ring Swiss cow bells. “The first Brown Swiss cattle were brought to this country in 1869,” notes Tony Zgraggen, a club member since 1980. “We’re very proud of our Swiss heritage. Having us perform at Expo is a way to remind people of the breed’s history in the U.S. and add some color to the show.”
