Holstein Canada and the Semex Alliance are pleased to announce that Lee Simanton of Ponoka, Alberta has been selected to represent Canada in the Australia Young Adult Exchange. During the exchange, Lee will spend three months in Australia gaining an appreciation for their dairy industry, while at the same time promoting the Canadian Holstein industry.

Lee received a diploma in livestock production from Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alberta in 2008. Since graduation, Lee has been employed full-time at the home farm, Crestomere Holsteins. The farm, owned by Lee's parents Everett and Marylee, is home to 70 cows. The herd's current classification is: 8 multiple Excellent; 7 Excellent; 38 Very Good; 35 Good Plus; and 1 Good.

Always active in 4-H, Lee has held various executive positions and leadership roles including being captain of the Alberta Western Canadian Classic Team. Lee is an aspiring dairy cattle judge and one of his long-term goals is to become a respected international judge.

Over the years, Lee has been very active showing and fitting dairy cattle around Alberta, as well as at the World Dairy Expo and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Additionally, he has won many awards for conformation, clipping, judging and showmanship. In 2009, Lee was selected to represent Western Canada at the highly competitive European Young Breeders School in Belgium. The Canadian team took top honors in several categories, with Lee placing third in overall points.

Lee is very excited about this opportunity, "I am honored to have been selected for this exchange, and look forward to learning how the Australian dairy industry functions. My greatest thanks goes out to the Semex Alliance and Holstein Canada."

For more information on the exchange program contact:

Alain Lajeunesse
Holstein Canada
Tel: 519-756-8300
alajeunesse@holstein.ca

Brenda Lee-Turner
Semex Alliance
Tel: 519-821-5060
bturner@semex.com