Columbia, Sheboygan counties win state 4-H judging contest

FOND DU LAC, Wis. – The Wisconsin 4-H dairy judging contest was held in conjunction with the Midwest National Ayrshire Show and the Midwest Regional Milking Shorthorn Show Aug. 1 in Fond du Lac.
The contest included more than 100 competitors, and the youth evaluated 10 cow and heifer classes of Holsteins, Ayrshires, Milking Shorthorns and Jerseys. Judges in the senior division delivered four sets of oral reasons as part of their contest while junior participants answered type analysis questions on four classes.
When the dust settled, the Columbia County team of Paige Sweatt, Ava Hebgen, Brady Dorshorst and Rebecca Murphy claimed first and will represent Wisconsin at the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo in Madison. Sweatt also placed fourth overall.
Columbia County was coached by Craig Carncross and Nicole Hebgen and edged out the second-place team from Wood County.
“We might have the youngest team ever going to compete at Expo,” Hebgen said. “We have three first-year seniors on the team, with one second-year senior, but man, are they amazing.”
Hebgen said that for herself and Carncross, this team has been a labor of love.
“This makes all of the countless hours of practice, the miles driven and the many late nights all worth it,” Hebgen said. “Craig and I are so proud of our team. Now it is time for more practice to gear up for the big dance.”              
The senior team – Emma Dorshorst, Emma Bangart, Brooklyn Schwoerer and Sara Dorshorst – from Wood County will represent Wisconsin at the All-American Dairy Show Invitational Youth Dairy Judging Contest in September in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Wood County team is coached by Matt Dorshorst and Tim Heeg. Emma Dorshorst was the overall top individual in the contest as well as the high individual in oral reasons. Sara Dorshorst placed ninth in reasons.
Emma Dorshorst, 19, will be entering her sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she double majors in dairy science and vocal performance and has been evaluating cows for nearly as long as she can remember.
“I started going to dairy judging practices with my dad when I was pretty young. That gave me the opportunity to start looking at cows and to figure out what dairy judging really was,” Emma Dorshorst said. “I enjoy the fact that I am competing as a team but also as an individual. I am the one making the decisions on the placings, and I am the one defending those placings with my reasons.”
Emma Dorshorst credits her father for instilling her passion for the dairy industry by allowing her to choose her own path.
“My dad always told us that it was up to us if we wanted to be involved in the dairy project,” Emma Dorshorst said. “He told us if we did, he was behind us 100%; and if we didn’t, he was fine with that too. That allowed me to come to love it on my own terms.”
Like anyone who has picked up a clipboard and sorted through a group of cows, Emma Dorshorst said she has had some struggles when it comes to placings and oral reasons.
“I really love learning new terminology,” Emma Dorshorst said. “But, sometimes I have struggled with learning exactly how I should be using that terminology in my reasons.”
She relies on her father’s advice, and she often shares that advice with others.
“My dad tells me when I struggle, think about which one I would want to take to the show ring,” Emma Dorshorst said. “When I’m at a contest and I’m having a hard time with a class, I can hear him tell me that in my head, and it helps.”
As advice for those working to better their own dairy cattle evaluation skills, Emma Dorshorst recommends the tried and true route of practice.
“The more cows you look at and analyze, the more natural it will become for you,” she said. “I was once told that when you first start judging, you are thinking about your placings or your reasons and hoping you got them right. Then something switches and suddenly you are giving your reasons for the choice you made, defending your placings. The more sets of reasons you give, the more confidence you gain.”
Jenna Gries of Manitowoc County, Sara Kronberg of Rock County, Dylan Raymond of St. Croix County and Kaylee Ferfecki of Shawano County will compete at the North American International Livestock Exposition Youth Dairy Judging Contest in Louisville, Kentucky, in November.
Rounding out the top five senior teams were Shawano, Rock and St. Croix counties.
Following Emma Dorshorst in the top 10 individuals were Gries, Kronberg, Sweatt, Raymond, Ferfecki, Hailey Zernicke of Shawano County, Clarissa Ulness of Manitowoc County, Julia Searls of Iowa County and Sophia Kamm of St. Croix County.
Topping the junior age division was the team from Sheboygan County consisting of Alison and Audrey Gartman, who placed fifth and sixth, respectively, and their teammates Natalie Mauk and Carsten Huenink. The Sheboygan County juniors are coached by Crystal Sinn and Kelly Jens.
Following in second in the junior team contest was the team from Fond du Lac County, consisting of team members Cameron and Dylan Ryan, who placed fourth and seventh, respectively, along with teammates Isaac Loehr and Leah Mess. The Fond du Lac juniors are coached by Matthew Kramer, Joe Loehr and Chad Ryan.
The junior judges from Rock County captured third place as a team followed by Shawano County in fourth and Pierce County in fifth.
Laney Neuser of Manitowoc County topped the individual portion of the junior contest followed by Braeden Bechel of Pierce County who placed second. Rounding out the top 10 junior individuals were Gracin Speich of Rock County, Cameron, Alison, Audrey, Dylan Ryan, Shyanne Hammann of Barron County, Olivia Dittman of St. Croix County and Eleah Watson of Wood County.
The 4-H’ers qualified to compete at the state contest by competing at one of two regional 4-H Area Animal Science Days held in June. The junior division includes members in third through eighth grades, while the seniors are high-school aged members.