The All-American Dairy Show has announced the judges for the 2025 Youth Showmanship Contest, as well as the judge for the inaugural Youth Fitting Contest. Both contests will take place on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
All entries for the Youth Showmanship Contest must be submitted online by September 3, 2025, at allamericandairyshow.com/
Amanda Valentine Dennis of Emmitsburg, Md., will judge the Junior Showmanship Contest. Dennis grew up on Vales-Pride Farm, operated by her parents, Michael and Denise Valentine. Following her graduation, she returned to the farm, where she was actively involved in herd health and calf raising, her favorite responsibilities.
Dennis and her family have exhibited cattle under the Vales-Pride prefix at local, state, and national levels, while also consigning animals to sales across the region. She was a member of the winning Maryland 4-H Dairy Judging Team at Louisville in 1997 and part of the fourth-place team at World Dairy Expo in 1999. To give back to the program, she later coached the Frederick County teams, leading the Maryland State team to Louisville in 2012 and 2017, and to Madison in 2018, where the team’s third-place finish earned an international trip to judge in Scotland and Ireland.
Dennis has judged numerous shows across the Mid-Atlantic and New England, with a particular passion for youth showmanship. She co-created the “Show Like a Pro” Dairy Workshop, held annually in Maryland, to help train the next generation of dairy youth. Following her family’s herd reduction in 2024, her uncle and his family continued the Vales-Pride prefix. Dennis is currently employed by Integrated Agronomics and resides in Keymar, Maryland, with her son, Bryce.
Renee Pierick of Cleveland, Wi., will place the Intermediate division of the Showmanship Contest. Pierick has served as Assistant Show Manager for Vierra Dairy and Triple-T Holsteins, and as Herdsman at Kash-In Holsteins and Jerseys in Tulare, California. She has worked for esteemed clients such as Spring Valley, Kueffner Holsteins and Jerseys, and Entourage LLR. Over the years, she has been instrumental in developing multiple World Dairy Expo Champions and numerous All-American and All-Canadian winners in Holstein and Jersey breeds.
Pierick’s personal achievements include being named the 2024 Ladies Showmanship Winner at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) and exhibiting the Junior Champion Holstein at the Royal Winter Fair. Her international travels include Australia, Colombia, and New Zealand, and she has judged contests in New Mexico, Ohio, and Iowa. Passionate about the dairy industry, Pierick is committed to mentoring and developing the industry’s future leaders.
Jennifer Charlton of Brantford, Ontario will serve as the judge for the Senior Showmanship Contest. Charlton operates Charbend Farms in partnership with her father, managing over 400 acres and milking 55 registered Holsteins and Jerseys. In 2004, she won the Intercounty Judging Competition, representing Ontario at World Dairy Expo and later at the European Young Breeders School.
Charlton has prepared cattle for shows across Canada, the United States, and Australia, and has judged numerous 4-H, county, and breed shows. Her experience includes officiating Holstein, Jersey, and Brown Swiss competitions. She has judged prestigious events such as the Western Canadian Classic Showmanship (2024), Junior Showmanship at World Dairy Expo (2023), and Jersey Showmanship at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (2023). Dedicated to youth education, Charlton frequently leads clinics and 4-H programs focused on showmanship and clipping skills.
Ben Buske of Mayville, Wi., will serve as judge for the inaugural Youth Fitting Contest. Buske has fit cattle across the United States, Canada, Italy, and Switzerland. Inspired by his peers and mentors, he has dedicated his career to continuous improvement and encourages youth to remain patient and open to learning opportunities. His philosophy emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning in the craft of cattle fitting.
