James W. Crowley Leadership Award winners announced

Outstanding producing ability was recognized in each of the six dairy breed shows at last week’s Wisconsin Junior State Fair. AgSource/CRI awarded an engraved glass milk pitcher to the exhibitor of the cow with the highest actual 305-day combined butterfat and protein production record. Cows in the three-year-old, four-year-old, five-year-old, aged cow and dry cow classes competed for recognition certificates and consideration for the overall breed production championship. To be eligible for these awards, cows needed to place in the blue or red ribbon groups.

Back Row (L to R):Ron Niedfeldt, judge; Carole Peper, Polk County; Clayton Wohlk, Barron County; JR Boyke, Fond du Lac County; Michael Sachse, Washington County; Andy Blaser, Oconto County; Shat Ott, Calumet County; Kaitlin Ferg, Portage County; Ted Halbach, UW Dairy Youth Specialist; Patti Hurtgen, judge. Front Row (L to R): Jennifer Pilsbury, Dodge County; Carl Weier, Iowa County; Heather Anderson, Crawford County; Stephany Kiel, Manitowac County; Alecia Treml, Juneau County; Kelsi Hendrickson, Green County; Anne Dorshorst, Wood County; Nicole Hosto, dairy youth program assistant. Not pictured: Sandra Kirchner, Waupaca County.

Each of the Crowley Award winners also receives a partial scholarship to attend the National 4-H Dairy Conference to be held Sept. 26 to Sept. 30 in Madison. The conference offers participants a chance to experience hands-on workshops, tour dairy companies, and meet other dairy enthusiasts from throughout the United States and Canada. The Wuethrich Foundation of Greenwood, Wis. and the Wisconsin Farm Credit System co-sponsor the scholarships for the Wisconsin delegation.

“The Crowley Award competition allows outstanding dairy youth to meet new peers who are also active in the dairy industry. It’s also a great program to promote record keeping skills and to develop leadership skills,” according to Ted Halbach, UW-Madison extension dairy youth specialist.

The two top youth, Kelsi Hendrickson of Green County and Carl Weier of Iowa County, received $500 scholarships for continuing their dairy educations.

In addition to the $500 scholarship winners, Crowley Award recipients were: Heather Anderson, Crawford County; Andy Blaser, Oconto County; JR Boyke, Fond du Lac County; Anne Dorshorst, Wood County; Kaitlin Ferg, Portage County; Stephany Kiel, Manitowoc County; Sandra Kirchner, Waupaca County; Shay Ott, Calumet County; Carole Peper, Polk County; Jennifer Pillsbury, Dodge County; Michael Sachse, Washington County; Alecia Treml, Juneau County; and Clayton Wohlk, Barron County.

“The final part of this competition involves a formal interview with the judges,” explained Halbach. “For several of the applicants this was their first interview, which by itself makes this an invaluable experience for these youth.”

Judges for this year’s Crowley Awards were Ron Niedfeldt, a member of the Crowley Fund, and Patti Hurtgen, who works for the Cattle Connection in Amery, Wis.

The award program is in honor and memory of James W. Crowley, longtime extension dairy specialist at the UW-Madison and strong supporter of dairy youth project work.

For more information contact Ted Halbach at (608) 235-3305

Written by Nicole Hosto on 8/13/2004