Youth Fitting & Showmanship
Fitting ContestWorld Dairy Expo Youth Fitting Contest will take place at 9:00 a.m. in the Sale Pavilion on Saturday, September 30. This contest is open to all youth ages, 13 to 21. |
Showmanship ContestOpen to all youth, ages 9 to 21, the World Dairy Expo Youth Showmanship Contest will take place at 12:00 p.m. in the Coliseum on Saturday, September 30. Registration fees apply. |
For a complete list of 2023 contest rules and regulations, entry form and schedule of events, please click on any of the following links. |
For a complete list of 2023 contest rules and regulations, entry form and schedule of events, please click on any of the following links. A contest catalog, outlining heats, will be available the morning on September 30.
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Meet the 2023 Judges!
Showmanship Contest
Junior – Jennifer Charlton
Jennifer Charlton, of Brantford, Ontario, milks 55 Registered Holsteins and Jerseys and manages over 400 acres in partnership with her father at Charbend Farms. Outside of the farm, Jennifer is active in the industry, being on the Ontario Spring Discovery Show committee and helping organize many youth events, such as the Ontario Intercounty Judging Competition. She won that same competition in 2014, and was also selected to represent Canada at the European Young Breeders School in 2015. Jennifer has had the opportunity to judge numerous 4-H shows and Breeders Cups. She is particularly passionate about showmanship and judged the showmanship competition at the Autumn Opportunity Holstein Show last year. Working with youth in developing their showmanship and clipping skills at clinics and 4-H meetings is a rewarding way Jennifer likes to give back to the dairy industry.
Intermediate – Terri Packard
Terri Packard operates South Mountain Jerseys and Kueffner Holsteins with her husband, Ernest Kueffner, in Boonsboro, Maryland. Together they breed, develop and market a select group of deep-pedigreed Holsteins and Jerseys across North America. Over the past 27 years, they have owned or managed over 200 All-American and All-Canadian nominations and exhibited numerous Supreme Champions at World Dairy Expo, the Royal Winter Fair, Pennsylvania All-American and Maryland State Fair. Packard has placed State Shows and State Fairs in seventeen U.S. states, officiated twice at Eastern States Exposition and had the honor of serving as official judge for the 2020 National Jersey Jug Futurity. Her international experience includes the 2023 Ontario Spring Discovery Jersey Show and the Jersey and Red & White Shows at the 2022 Borderway UK Dairy Expo. Aside from her involvement with the farm, Terri serves her local community as Chairman of the Economic Development Commission in Boonsboro. She serves as a Director for the Maryland Jersey Cattle Club and also represents the Eastern U.S. dairy exhibitors on the World Dairy Expo Dairy Cattle Exhibitors Committee.
Senior – Mandy Brazil-Schmidt
Mandy Brazil-Schmidt, along with husband Graisson and daughter Oliviana, own and operate Grai-Rose Cattle Co., a genetic marketing service for registered and commercial cattle, in addition to raising a select herd of Holsteins and Red & White Holsteins in Petaluma, California. Through Grai-Rose Cattle Co., they have donors at multiple locations throughout the United States and work with different partners located throughout the United States and Canada. Schmidt and her husband have shown numerous champions and class winners at national shows in Mexico, Canada, and the United States that they have owned, sourced or developed. As a result, they have garnered over 30 Holstein and Red & White All-American and All-Canadian nominations. Aside from the farm, Schmidt works in dairy herd consulting with The Cattle Source and is the Agritourism Event Coordinator for The Haven. Schmidt has judged shows all over the country, most notably at the Western Fall National and as an officiant for the judging contests at World Dairy Expo. In addition to these events, she has judged numerous county fairs and showmanship workshops throughout the Western, Southwestern and Midwestern states.
Fitting Contest
Intermediate - Kaleb Kruse
Kaleb Kruse hails from Dyersville, Iowa, where he milks 100 cows with his parents, Tom and Sara Kruse, and brothers Cole and Carter. They focus on high type and genomic genetics in five different breeds and have seen success in the Showring, receiving many accolades in the Junior shows at World Dairy Expo and numerous Junior and Open All-Americans. Outside of the farm, Kaleb works as an Agronomy Sales Advisor at Innovative Ag Services and is also a Sales Team Member for Cowbuyer.com. Kaleb is an active member of the National and Iowa Ayrshire, Guernsey, Jersey and Holstein Associations, and also serves as a Marketing Committee Member for the National Ayrshire Association. He has judged numerous regional and national shows, including the Ayrshire and Junior Guernsey shows at the North American International Livestock Exposition and the Midwest National Ayrshire Show and Midwest Regional Milking Shorthorn Show.
Senior - Doug Nifong
Doug and his wife Melanie, and daughter Mallory, own and operate Me-Do Meadows in Orfordville, Wis. Along with fitting professionally for 15 years, Doug has been a hoof trimmer for 25 years. Me-Do Meadows has boarded show cattle and genomic animals for clients all over the world including 40 Excellents and All-Americans such as Alicia and Apple to name a few. Doug has traveled the world fitting cattle professionally since graduating in 1985 after leaving the family dairy in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Doug first got his start as a fitter at Hanover Hill Holsteins in Port Perry Ontario. Doug has been fortunate enough to professionally fit numerous Supreme and Grand Champion’s of multiple breeds at World Dairy Expo; as well as numerous All American nominations throughout the years. Along with fitting Doug has managed many renowned cattle sales such as Hilltop Hanover, World Classic, Sunshine Genetic,Global Glamour, Semex Sale of Stars and Cormdale Genetics.
2022 Youth Showmanship Contest Awards
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Junior Division:
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Intermediate Division:
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Senior Division:
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2022 Youth Fitting Contest Awards
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Intermediate Female Division:
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Intermediate Male Division:
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Senior Female Division:
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Senior Male Division:
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