Since 1989, Tom and Sandy Morris have orchestrated World Dairy Expo’s signature sale, the World Classic. Always innovative, Tom and Sandy Morris established a new standard when they sold the world’s first cloned dairy animal. Our team recently interviewed Tom Morris about that experience.
Question: In 2000, you coordinated the consignment of a yet to be cloned copy of C Lauduc Broker Mandy. Not only did that clone top the World Classic that year, it made the October 8, 2000, ABC Evening News with Peter Jennings. What do you recall from that experience in being in the national forefront?
Tom: Again, it was an early, innovative idea. Sandy and I were in the partnership that owned the Mandy cow, so it was logical if we were going to sell a clone it was going to be her. Ron Bader, who was also a part owner, was very helpful because of his background in public relations as co-founder of Bader Rutter. We did a lot of training with our staff because we knew there would be a wide variety of questions. You’re selling a clone? How many clones are there? How are clones even made?
We got through that situation quite well. The public perceived it, took it, and endorsed it. We had two buying syndicates bidding against each other on auction night. It was a very successful event.
Since that time, I think the industry has moved on because cloning certainly is not a step ahead in genetics; at best it’s an even proposition. However, at that time, it was quite the deal.
Editor’s note:
Over the next six weeks leading up to World Dairy Expo, we will include bonus coverage with Tom and Sandy. Click here to read the full feature from our September 10, 2017, World Dairy Expo supplement titled, “They’ve seen the show from every angle.”
Additional coverage in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel can be found by clicking these links:
Dairy Expo’s most memorable World Classics
