MADISON, Wis. – This year marked the 100th National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest.
The competition became extra special for the Minnesota Stearns County 4-H dairy judging team when it placed third overall and first in oral reasons Oct. 2 at World Dairy Expo in Madison.
The Stearns County team members – Dan Frericks, of Melrose, Minnesota; Lanna Walter, of Sauk Centre, Minnesota; and Megan and Tyler Ratka, of Cold Spring, Minnesota – competed against 20 teams and were coached by Sadie Frericks, Kevin Ratka and Tara Meyer.
“It was a great time spent with great friends judging very good cows,” Dan Frericks said. “We practiced a lot before Expo, and it was great to see all of our hard work pay off.”
The Stearns County 4-H team advanced to the national competition after earning first place at the Minnesota 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest during the Minnesota State Fair in August. The third-place finish at the national contest provides the team the opportunity to compete at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, Scotland, the summer of 2023.
Sadie Frericks said she gives the students credit for their hard work.
“Third place is incredible, but I’m most proud of our team for earning first in oral reasons,” she said. “Delivering oral reasons is a skill each 4-H’er develops through lots of practice and feedback from coaches and teammates. These kids really worked on their reasons this year, and it showed in their scores at the contest.”
During the national competition, contestants evaluated cows on their udders, rear feet and legs, dairy strength/milk production capacity and frame. During oral reasons, a 4-H’er justifies to a judge why they judged classes the way they did. The Minnesota team of four judged 10 classes of dairy cattle and gave five sets of oral reasons as part of the competition.
“The team camaraderie was great,” Meyer said. “All of these team members are hard-working and eager to learn and implement the feedback they are given.”
Dan Frericks and the Ratkas also earned All-American status, an honor given to individuals who place in the top 25.
Leading up to the competition, the team practiced at several farms in central Minnesota and Wisconsin and participated in a practice and tour session the Friday before the national competition.
Sadie Frericks said after the state fair, they worked with the team to build on their state fair performances leading up to the national competition.
“They were so coachable and took every suggestion we offered them to heart and put it into practice,” she said.
The first time a Stearns County team advanced to nationals was in 2007 when the team earned first place overall and first place in reasons.
“We’re continuing the precedent for Stearns County success at the national contest,” Sadie Frericks said.
This year’s team toured the National Dairy Shrine Museum before the contest and looked at the national 4-H dairy judging contest plaques.
“There’s a plaque that lists all of the teams that placed first in oral reasons,” Sadie Frericks said. “It’s really neat that this team has earned its own spot in Dairy Shrine history.”
Once a 4-H’er has judged in the national contest, they are ineligible to judge in any future national dairy judging contests.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for these kids,” Sadie Frericks said.
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