Wyoming Hay Producers Dominate Forage Superbowl…Again!

It was another great year for Wyoming hay at the World Dairy Expo where, for the seventh year in a row, Wyoming producers have won or placed extremely high in the World's Forage Analysis Superbowl. Four championships were claimed at this year's Superbowl with five Wyoming producers earning high places.

"Once again, Wyoming hay producers have shown the forage industry that our hay is top notch," said Donn Randall, Crop and Forage Program manager in the Wyoming Business Council's Agribusiness Division. "Year after Year, Wyoming's producers get the highest awards for their product at the Superbowl. Wyoming has certainly earned a reputation as a premium hay producing state."

The World's Forage Grand Champion award went to Kelli Hinman, of Wheatland. Hinman's sample won against 398 total entries at the Superbowl. As grand champion, Hinman won a $2,500 cash award sponsored by NutriSave Forage Management System.

Bethany Bappe of Riverton was named Grand Champion First Time Entrant, winning a $1,500 award sponsored by KUHN; Gerry Danko of Powell took the new Grass/Hay category for $1,500 and was third place in the Commercial Hay Division; David Hinman of Hardrock Farms in Wheatland won the Commercial Hay award for $1,500; and Mark Bappe of Riverton came in fifth in the Commercial Hay Division.

According to Randall, seven different China delegations stopped at the Business Council trade show hay tent this year and to try to establish export trade opportunities with Wyoming hay producers.

Wyoming's entries to the Superbowl were selected by having the top relative feed value at the Wyoming State Fair Hay Show. The winners of this class had entry fees and any necessary shipping required to send samples to the Superbowl paid for by the Wyoming Business Council's Agribusiness Division.

The World's Forage Analysis Superbowl takes place at the World's Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis. It provides growers from across the United States and Canada an opportunity to vie for forage awards by entering their high quality samples in a dairy or commercial division.