News Release

Monday, October 3, 2016

Record Participation in World Dairy Expo^® Youth Fitting Contest

MADISON, WIS. – Three new divisions added to the World Dairy Expo Youth Fitting Contest led to record participation in the Sunday morning contest. The contest featured a new, younger age division for intermediate fitters along with the splitting of males and females in the Intermediate and Senior Divisions.  

After winning the Senior Female Division, Elizabeth Acel remarked, “I want more people to take the opportunity to compete in this contest. It goes to show that women can fit, too; it’s not only a man’s game.”

The top finishers in the Intermediate Divisions, Melissa Sprecher, Sauk City, Wis., and Grant Fremstad, Westby, Wis., received clippers sponsored by Wahl Clipper & Lister Shearing. The winners of the Senior Divisions, Elizabeth Acel, Guys Mills, Pa. and Levi Banowetz, Charlotte, Iowa, received clippers sponsored by Aesculap AG Germany. Other awards given included neck medallions and cash awards to the top five finishers, sponsored by LOWE Equipment Attachments, Y-Tex Corporation and the Wisconsin State Farmer. The official judge for this year’s contest was Joan Seidel, Avon, NY.

The placings for the Youth Fitting Contest divisions are as follows:

Intermediate Female:

1. Melissa Sprecher, Sauk City, Wis.
2. Hannah Nelson, Ellsworth, Wis.

Intermediate Male:

1. Grant Fremstad, Westby, Wis.
2. Kurtis Frischknecht, Teeswater, Ont.
3. Tucker True, Perry, N.Y.
4. Benjamin Kronberg, Milton, Wis.
5. Alek Krueger, Hazel Green, Wis.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Senior Female

1. Elizabeth Acel, Guys Mills, Pa.
2. Olivia Brandenburg, Fort Atkinson, Wis.
3. Katelyn Neff, Cochranton, Pa.
4. Emma Weisensel, Waunakee, Wis.
5. Hanna Dellaire, Milton, Ont.

Senior Male

1. Levi Banowetz, Charlotte, Iowa
2. Austin Nauman, Norwalk, Wis.
3. Daniel Hosking, New Berlin, N.Y.
4. Benjamin Powers, Menominee, Wis.
5. Eddie Sekerak, Columbus, Pa.

Recognized as the meeting place for the global dairy industry, World Dairy Expo attracts more than 70,000 attendees from over 90 countries to Madison, Wis. each year. The annual event will take place October 4–8, 2016, with the theme of “Celebrate 50!” to commemorate its golden anniversary. Visit worlddairyexpo.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@WDExpo or #Celebrate50) for more information. ###

Note to Editors:  High-resolution photo is available upon request from kschmitt@wdexpo.com