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WINONA, Minn. - Although the members of the Minnesota 4-H dairy judging team at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) hadn't ever judged together before, it didn't stop them from achieving success.
"We got to know each other on the 10-hour car ride down there," said team member, Jamie Woodard.
Woodard, who is from Winona County, represented Minnesota along with Eryn Orth, also from Winona County, Emily Pieper from Rice County and Aaron Houdek from Houston County. The team placed first overall and first in reasons at the NAILE 4-H dairy judging contest in Louisville, Ky. Individually, Woodard took top honors as high individual out of 90 contestants and fourth in reasons. Orth placed seventh overall and second in reasons, and Pieper placed 17th overall and eighth in reasons.
The four traveled to the NAILE 4-H dairy judging contest after they earned a spot on the team at the Minnesota 4-H dairy judging contest as the four high individuals not traveling with a team to another national contest.
"My years of work finally paid off," Woodard said about earning a spot on the team at the state contest.
For Woodard, winning the national contest was a good way for him to end his 4-H dairy judging career.
"I was in amazement," Woodard said about the moment he realized he had won the contest.
Before the contest started, Woodard kept his nerves in check.
"I treated it like any other contest," he said. "You can't get too nervous or you'll mess up."
The contest consisted of 10 classes featuring Ayrshires, Brown Swiss, Guernseys, Holsteins and Jerseys. Each individual gave three sets of reasons.
"There were good cows down there," Woodard said. "What helped me improve my judging was working at shows and sales to see what you look for - especially at the Jersey sale. I was never good at judging Jerseys."
Woodard said he likes dairy judging because it helps him determine what a good cow should look like.
"You're preparing yourself for the real world and what you want to see in your own cows ... although there is a difference between a show cow and a milking cow. It's having the knowledge for the next stop to breed the next generation of your cattle," Woodard said.
After attending the University of Wisconsin Farm and Industry Short Course, Woodard is back working on his family's farm along with another area dairy farmer. He picks the bulls for his family's 90-cow dairy and pays attention to net merit.
"I like the complete bull," he said.
For cows, he thinks a cow with a classification score of Very Good 87 is the most ideal.
"They're not the big bulky cows, they fit well in the stalls and they usually have well attached udders," Woodard said.
Now that he's done with 4-H dairy judging, he'll move on to his next venture, whether to go back to college, judge a few shows, mate cows on his farm or get a job in the genetics area of the dairy industry.
"I hope it helps me in the future," Woodard said about dairy judging.

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