The Manitowoc County Senior Dairy Judging Team won first place at the State 4-H Senior Dairy Judging Contest, held in conjunction with the State Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn Shows in Fond du Lac on Aug. 9.
Manitowoc’s winning performance means they will represent Wisconsin at the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest during World Dairy Expo in September.
Over 40 senior contestants placed ten classes and presented four sets of Oral Reasons. The winning senior team from Manitowoc County included Lauren Siemers, Clarissa Ulness, Emma Vos and Jenna Gries, and was coached by Angie Ulness and Paul Siemers. Siemers was high individual overall in the contest, and teammates Ulness and Vos were fifth and sixth overall. Manitowoc finished a commanding 94 points in front of their nearest competitor.
Second in the senior contest was Shawano County, with a 21-point advantage over third place Grant County. Shawano’s runner-up finish earned them a trip to the All-American Youth Dairy Judging Contest next month in Harrisburg, Pa. Team members Abby Ard, Sydney Gwidt, Hailey Zernicke and Kaylee Ferfecki were coached by Lynn Harbaugh and Jay Jauquet.
Columbia County youth Sarah Hagenow was state contest’s high individual in Oral Reasons for the third time in her 4-H career. Hagenow talked her way to 191 out of 200 possible Oral Reasons points. She was also the second high individual overall in the contest.
Rounding out the top ten in the senior division were Brooke Hammann of Barron County, Emma Dorshorst of Wood County, Clarissa Ulness of Manitowoc County, Emma Vos of Manitowoc County, Abigail Powers of Dunn County, Brady Bleck of Sheboygan County, Justyne Frisle of Barron County and Sophia Kamm of St. Croix County.
Based on their high placing individual performances, Emma Dorshorst, Abigail Powers, Brady Bleck and Justyne Frisle will represent Wisconsin at the North American International Livestock Exposition Youth Dairy Judging Contest in Louisville, Ky. in November.
Thirteen teams and a total of 54 youth competed in the junior division of the contest.
Juniors also placed ten classes, in addition to answering Type Analysis Questions (TAQ’s) on four of the classes. TAQ questions are designed to help youth recognize type traits that play a significant role in functional conformation and placing the class.
The team from Fond du Lac County took first, seven points ahead of second place Shawano County. Members of the Fond du Lac team included Dylan Ryan, Isaac Loehr, Cameron Ryan and Sophia Loehr. They were coached by Matthew Kramer, Joe Loehr and Chad Ryan.
Shawano County placed second and included team members Logan Harbaugh, Addison Fischer, Madison Harbaugh and Chloe Zernicke. Lynn Harbaugh and Jay Jauquet coached the team.
Sheboygan County took third overall in the contest, with team members Audrey Gartman, Natalie Mauk, Royce Booth and Macie Abraham.
In the TAQ portion of the contest, Ava Hebgen of Columbia County led the way missing only 10 of 100 possible points. Her teammates, Ela Hebgen, Peyton Voegeli and Carter Murphy helped Columbia County take the top team honors in TAQ’s.
The top ten juniors overall in the contest were Logan Harbaugh of Shawano County, Ava Hebgen of Columbia County, Dylan Ryan of Fond du Lac County, Wyatt Dorshorst of Wood County, Stella Kamm of St. Croix County, Whitney Ulness of Manitowoc County, Isaac Loehr of Fond du Lac County, Audrey Gartman of Sheboygan County, Cameron Ryan of Fond du Lac County and Marissa Spoke of Dodge County.
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