Ms. Laurie Winkelman, Dairy Program Specialist, The Ohio State University
Eight dairy youth from throughout Ohio had the opportunity to travel this fall as members of the Ohio 4-H Dairy Judging Team. Two teams comprised of 4 youth per team represented Ohio at 3 national competitions in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Madison, Wisconsin; and Louisville, Kentucky.
The dairy judging season started with an intense practice over Labor Day weekend. Eleven youth vying for 8 team spots traveled to Timonium, Maryland and judged more than 20 classes at the Maryland State Fair. After a few more local practices, the teams were selected and continued preparation for the national contests.
The first competition was the All American 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the middle of September. The Ohio 4-H Dairy Judging team placed 3rd overall (tied for 2nd, with tie broken on oral reasons), with 15 teams competing in the contest. The team placed 3rd in linear evaluation, 4th in Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, and Holstein, and 3rd in Jersey.
At the Harrisburg contest, the team was led by Neil Duncan from Warsaw, Ohio (Coshocton Co.). Duncan, who is a first-year student at OSU-ATI in Wooster, placed 5th overall, 1st in linear evaluation, 1st in Jersey, 10th in Guernsey, and 13th in oral reasons. Kaleb Kohler of Baltimore, Ohio (Fairfield Co.) placed 11th overall, 9th in Ayrshire and Guernsey, and 12th in oral reasons. Joel Bourne of Ansonia, Ohio (Darke Co.) was 13th high individual overall. Rounding out the team was Matthew Weeman, freshman in the Department of Animal Sciences at OSU, from Orrville, Ohio (Wayne Co.) placed 3rd in Ayrshire and was 27th overall.
The same four youth represented Ohio at the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin during the first week of October. The team placed 8th overall out of 31 teams. The team placed 11th in Ayrshire, 13th in Brown Swiss, 8th in Jersey, 9th in Holstein, and 6th in Jersey.
At the Madison contest, the team was again led by Duncan who was the High Individual Overall. The last time Ohio 4-H had a high individual in the contest was in 1999, when OSU alumnus Emily Stammen from New Weston, Ohio (Darke Co.) won the contest. Duncan was also 16th in Brown Swiss, 11th in Guernsey, and 15th in Holstein.
Weeman placed 29th overall and was 5th in Jersey. Kaleb Kohler of Baltimore, Ohio (Fairfield Co.) placed 17th in Ayrshire, 20th in Brown Swiss, and 20th in oral reasons.
Four different youth made up the Ohio 4-H team that competed at the North American International Livestock Exposition 4-H Dairy Judging Contest in Louisville, Kentucky during the first week of November. In a challenging contest, the team placed 8th out of 23 youth teams. In breed competition, the team placed 5th in Holstein and 7th in Jersey.
The Louisville team was led by Jason Miley of West Salem, Ohio (Wayne Co.). Miley placed 16th overall and was 10th high in oral reasons. He was also 8th in Holstein. Other team members included: Sherri Gress, sophomore in the Department of Animal Sciences at OSU, of Wooster, Ohio (Wayne Co.) who placed 38th overall, 30th in oral reasons, and 19th in Holstein; Tom Grim from New London, Ohio (Lorain Co.) who was 3rd in Brown Swiss; and Amanda Hoover from Tiffin, Ohio (Seneca Co.) who placed 9th in Ayrshire.
This year's team had support from numerous businesses and individuals, including the Ohio Purebred Dairy Cattle Breeders' Association, COBA/Select Sires, Smith Dairy Products Co., and Brewster Cheese. The Ohio 4-H Dairy Judging Team is coached by Laurie Winkelman, the Dairy Program Specialist at The Ohio State University. If you would like more information about becoming a part of the Ohio 4-H Dairy Judging Team, please contact Ms. Winkelman at 614-688-3143 or email winkelman.6@osu.edu.
2006 4-H Louisville team: Tom Grim (Lorain Co.), Amanda Hoover
(Seneca Co.), Sherri Gress (Wayne Co.), and Jason Miley (Wayne Co.).
Matthew Weeman (Wayne Co.), Joel Bourne (Darke Co.), Neil Duncan
(Coschocton Co.), Kaleb Kohler (Fairfield Co.), and Laurie Winkelman, coach.