WISCONSIN STATE FAIR PARK, WEST ALLIS, WI—August 20, 2009—World Beef Expo 2009 will be held from Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, September 27. Exhibitors from around the country will gather at State Fair Park for the 17th annual event to promote the beef industry with 13 breed shows and a cattle sale. Spectators and youth are educated with several seminars, youth judging and a trade show scheduled. World Beef Expo has been a central event for the show cattle industry hosting one of the Midwest’s largest cattle shows.

Ken Geuns will be one of five judges to assess the cattle at World Beef Expo. He will be judging the event’s Junior Show. Geuns received his Masters of Science degree from Michigan State University in ruminant nutrition and physiology. Currently, Geuns is an Extension Livestock Specialist for Michigan State University in East Lansing. His career includes teaching several animal science courses at MSU as well as serving as faculty coordinator for MSU Purebred Beef Cattle Teaching and Research Center. Geuns’ judging experience has allowed him to evaluate cattle in 30 states and Canada. Most recently, he judged the market steer show at the American Royal in Kansas City. Geuns has served as judge at the North American, National Western, Fort Worth Stock Show, Royal Winter Fair, and numerous state and county fairs around the country.

Geuns was raised on a general livestock and crop farm in northwest Illinois. He, along with his wife, Deb and daughter, Christina own and operate Ventura Farm near Bath, Michigan. The outfit includes 30 Chianina, Maine-Anjou, and Angus Cattle. In 2003 the farm was recognized by the Michigan Cattleman’s Association as Seedstock Producer of the Year. Geuns has served on the Board of Directors for the American Chianina Association and is currently chairperson for the Long Range Planning Committee.

Neil Hannon will be judging during the first day of the Open Show in Ring One, and the Prospect Show. Hannon is a graduate of Indiana University. He is a cattle breeder, raising registered Angus cattle since 1957, and Simmental cattle since 1976 as well as embryo transfers since 1981. Hannon has judged more than 325 county, state and national shows throughout the country including the 2007 and 2008 National Western Simmental Junior Breeding Heifer Show and Open Simmental Breeding Show divisions respectively. Hannon will host his 42nd Annual Calf Sale on October 10, 2009 at his Indiana farm.

Hannon resides in Valparaiso, Indiana where he is the chief probation officer for Porter County Circuit and Superior Courts. He is married to Kandyce Krause Hannon, the couple has four adult children. Shane Lindsey will judge the Junior Show. He resides in Prairie City, Iowa. Lindsey has 30 plus years in the beef cattle industry working as a manager and herd consultant, as well as operating a custom clipping, grooming and hoof trimming business. His judging career has taken him to 25 states and Canada including the National Western, North American, American Royal, Houston, Fort Worth, Tulsa, and Phoenix livestock shows. Danny May will be judging on the second day of the Open Show. May is self-employed in the beef industry, buying and selling club calves. He also maintains a beef breeding herd for producing seed stock animals to supplement other breeders with genetics that will perform in the commercial aspect as well as in the show ring. May has judged the Indiana and Illinois State Fairs, the Shorthorn and Gelbvieh Junior National Shows, and the Oklahoma Junior Cattleman’s Preview Show, as well as various jackpot shows around the country.

May is married and the father of two. He grew up in Southwest Wisconsin on a beef and grain farm. He has resided in Oklahoma since 1984.

Kyle Rozeboom will be judging in Ring Two, both days of the Open Show at World Beef Expo. Rozeboom received his Masters degree in Animal Science from the University of Missouri. He is currently a lecturer of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota, as well as the livestock judging team coach and Block and Bridle advisor. Rozeboom’s judging credentials include competing in collegiate judging and being named High Individual Judge at the National Western Stock Show, Sioux Empire Stock Show, and National Barrow Show contests. Throughout the duration of his livestock coaching career, Rozeboom has received honors such as High Individual the North American, Two Collegiate All-Americans, Two Carload Cattle Judging winning teams at the National Western. He has judged numerous state and regional shows in cattle, sheep and swine throughout the United States including the Mid-South Fair, National Western Stock Show, and NAILE.

Rozeboom was raised on an operation that produced commercial cattle, Suffolk sheep and purebred Duroc and Yorkshire hogs. Currently, he, along with his wife, Gretchen and children, Kelton, Owen and Landrey, live near Roberts, Wisconsin. They raise a small herd of Simmental cattle and Hampshire show pigs. Out of the family’s herd of Simmentals, they have produced winning heifers for the Tennessee State Fair, Georgia National Fair, Mid-South Fair, and Ozark Empire Fair.