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MADISON, Wis. - Caitlin Durow's first trip to World Dairy Expo turned into a very rewarding experience for the University of Minnesota senior. She placed first in oral reasons and was second high individual overall at the 2011 National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest to pace her team to second place in oral reasons and fifth place overall.
Durow received 49 out of a possible 50 points on three sets of reasons and averaged 47.5 points on six sets of reasons for a total of 285 points. Durow was just one point out of first place for top individual as she tallied 839 points. Carissa Levash of the University of Wisconsin-Madison won the contest with 840 points.
"When I won reasons, it was a goal I set for myself to be in the top five," Durow said. "It was pure joy that I was able to receive that honor."
Durow, who is from Mazeppa, Minn., has been judging since she was 6 years old. She said she appreciates all the coaches who have helped her with dairy cattle judging over the past 15 years.
"It was a fun experience," Durow said of judging at World Dairy Expo. "It's something I enjoy and love doing."
Durow was second in Red and White Holsteins, eighth in Guernseys, ninth in Holsteins and overall placings.
"Dairy cattle judging is life rewarding," Durow said. "I'm excited to be able to put judging in my future."
Durow, an animal science major, plans to enter law school for ag law after graduation.
Also receiving All-American honors on the University of Minnesota team was Elizabeth Olson of Hutchinson, Minn. Olson placed 19th overall and was sixth in Guernseys and 10th in Red and White Holsteins. Rounding out the team was Karen Anderson of Lester Prairie, Minn., who was third in Milking Shorthorns, and Emily Achen of Sauk Centre, Minn., who was seventh in Guernseys. Dr. Les Hansen, Alicia Thurk and Scott Ellinghuysen coached the team.
Hansen said that this is one of the strongest reasons teams the university's ever had.
"They were first in the three contests they were in previously, so we knew they would be in the hunt here," Hansen said. "It's a great group."
Sara Larson of New Richland, Minn., was a member of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls team that won high team honors in Red and White Holsteins.
Also earning All-American honors were April Johnson of Heron Lake, Minn., a student at South Dakota State, who placed 13th overall, and Krysty Kepler of Belmont, Wis., a student at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, who was 14th. Kepler's team won the Milking Shorthorn team title.[[In-content Ad]]

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