FUR COMMISSION USA REPORT, JANUARY 18, 2005

58th International Mink and Fox Show

Turnouts at the annual International Mink and Fox Show are good indicators of the health of the fur industry, and this year's event confirmed the optimism that the current good times are not just a flash in the pan.

Strong retail sales of fur products are expected in the U.S. again this winter, continuing an upward trend that goes back more than a decade. In 2003-4, the latest year for which firm figures are available, sales stood at $1.8 billion, matching the record highs of the late 1980s.

With farmers from a dozen U.S. states and several other countries converging on Milwaukee, Jan. 14-16, attendance was up 20% from last year.

The general mood among farmers was positive, unsurprising given the surge in pelt prices in the last year, and this optimism flowed over to the vendors.

Although the number of vendors was comparable to recent years, large items of equipment were more in evidence than previously, and purchases were being notched up.

As one vendor put it, "When the industry's prospects started to brighten, farmers naturally started to think about the future. But it takes more than one good year to loosen their purse strings. Are the strings looser this year than last? Definitely."

Wind and Snow

Fueling the optimism further was the miserable weather that the Show is becoming famous for. No one loves wind and snow more than a fur farmer!

The three-day event included seminars on a variety of subjects, pelt judging and a display of equipment and industry services. The main meeting on Jan. 15 featured an open discussion on the state of the North American industry, followed by a fashion show, the annual banquet and dancing.

Once again we welcomed Miss Wisconsin and Alice in Dairyland, represented by Molly McGrath and Betsy Francoeur Hemauer, who modeled their lovely fur coats alongside farmers' family members in our traditional fashion show.

Thanks are due to the Show's organizing committee, in particular FCUSA board members Ron Gengel and Jim Wachter, and to Linda Zimbal and Gerry Krieger for organizing the fabulous fashion show. Thanks also to mink farmer Mike McClay who volunteered his time to man the front desk and help make the whole event run smoothly.

238 entries were made in this year's mink pelt contest. Grand Champion prize went to Prime Brothers for their dark males, while Reserve Champion went to Tony Jones for his light iris females. Many thanks to judges Gincy Beck, Jeff Chuter, Chuck Osborne, Bob Pavek, Jim Posch and Joel Takeuchi, and to Jim Wachter for organizing the pelt competition.

White males (13 entrants): 1. Ken Holmes 2. Ken Holmes 3. Erling Andersen 4. Sandy Bay Mink Ranch 5. Underwood

White females (16 entrants): 1. Ken Holmes 2. Erling Andersen 3. Ken Holmes 4. Guy Pavek 5. Silvermoon

Sapphire males (18 entrants): 1. Trimberger 2. Trimberger 3. Zimbal Minkery 4. Jim Bogus 5. Zimbal

Sapphire females (21 entrants): 1. Erling Andersen 2. Trimberger 3. Jay & Dean Moyle 4. Tony Pavek 5. Zimbal

Miscellaneous (7 entrants): 1. Chuck La Court (fin jaguar female) 2. Chuck La Court (fin jaguar male) 3. Tony Pavek (blue cross female) 4. Erling Andersen (pearl female) 5. Erling Andersen (pearl male)

Sapphire shadow males (3 entrants): 1. Tony Pavek 2. Tony Pavek 3. Bruce Jentzsch

Apollo females (4 entrants): 1. Guy Pavek 2. Guy Pavek 3. Dale Christensen 4. Kevin Pavek

Light iris males (9 entrants): 1. Tony Jones 2. Tony Jones 3. Tom & Jan Olsen 4. Tom & Jan Olsen 5. Zimbal

Light iris females (13 entrants): 1. Tony Jones 2. Tony Jones 3. Jeff Thang 4. Jefferson Fur Farm 5. Gamroth Fur Farm

Medium iris males (12 entrants): 1. Zimbal 2. Jefferson 3. Gamroth 4. Jefferson 5. Kuzar
Medium iris females (17 entrants): 1. Tom & Jan Olsen 2. Tom & Jan Olsen 3. Zimbal 4. Jim Bogus 5. Zimbal

Medium mahogany males (12 entrants): 1. Ross Parkinson 2. Zimbal 3. Harris Fur Farm 4. Zimbal 5. Shoreline Farms

Medium mahogany females (12 entrants): 1. Zimbal 2. Brett Hansen 3. Zimbal 4. Van Elderen Bros. 5. Ross Parkinson

Dark mahogany males (20 entrants): 1. Ross Parkinson 2. Zimbal 3. Ken Griffeth 4. Zimbal 5. Shoreline

Dark mahogany females (15 entrants): 1. Ross Parkinson 2. Zimbal 3. Zimbal 4. Brent & Scott Harris 5. Shoreline

Ranch wild males (7 entrants): 1. Ross Parkinson 2. Jay & Dean Molyer 3. Erling Andersen 4. Jay & Dean Moyle 5. Sanford Mink

Ranch wild females (6 entrants): 1. Ross Parkinson 2. Jay & Dean Moyle 3. Ross Parkinson 4. Jay & Dean Moyle 5. Erling Andersen

Pastel males (3 entrants): 1. Trimberger 2. Trimberger 3. Sandy Bay

Pastel females (2 entrants): 1. Trimberger 2. Sandy Bay

Dark males (13 entrants): 1. Prime Bros. 2. Pagel Mink Ranch 3. Ross Parkinson 4. Zimbal 5. Shoreline

Dark females (15 entrants): 1. Zimbal 2. Tony Jones 3. Tony Jones 4. Pagel 5. Pagel

Also competing in Milwaukee were members of the U.S. Fox Shippers' Council. This year's Best of Show and Runner-Up in the Silver category went to Circle R Fox Ranch, while Les Voges snagged first and second place for Best of Show - Mutation.

Pale silver: 0: 1. Les Voges 2. Littig Fox Farm 3. Brett Ward; 00: 1. Circle R Fox Ranch 2. Kavan Fur Farm 3. Littig; 000: 1. Circle R 2. Circle R 3. Brett Ward

Light medium silver: 0: 1. Les Voges 2. Brett Ward 3. Brett Ward; 00: 1. Circle R 2. Lyle Bronkhorst 3. Circle R; 000: 1, 2, 3. Circle R

Dark medium silver: 0: 1, 2, 3. Brett Ward; 00:1, 2. Circle R 3. Les Voges; 000: 1, 2, 3. Circle R

Gold: 1. Littig 2, 3. Circle R

Blue frost: 1, 2. Les Voges 3. Brett Ward

Marble: 1. Les Voges 2. John Smeal 3. Brett Ward

Cross: 1, 2. Littig 3. Brett Ward

Any other type: 1, 2, 3. John Smeal

For further information contact: Teresa Platt, Executive Director, Fur Commission USA, PMB 506, 826 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118-2698 USA, (619) 575-0139, (619) 575-5578/fax, furfarmers@aol.com, www.furcommission.com.

To take a cyber-tour of a fur farm, visit Fur Commission USA's Fur on Film at http://www.furcommission.com/video/index.htm

© 1998-2005 Fur Commission USA

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