Judges named for 2019 All-American Dairy Show - Cowsmo

Judges named for 2019 All-American Dairy Show

Eight individuals got the nod to place the 14 open and junior shows during the All-American Dairy Show, set for Sept. 14- 18, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.

Matt Henkes of Luana, Iowa, will place the Premier National Junior Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn shows on Monday, Sept. 16. A sixth-generation dairy farmer, he and his parents milk 65 registered Holsteins and Milking Shorthorns. Matt manages the breeding program and has bred and developed several All-Iowa and Junior All-Americans with both black and red Holsteins, as well has two All-American Milking Shorthorn nominations. A graduate of Iowa State University, Matt earned All-American dairy judging honors on the third placed team at World Dairy Expo. He also serves as co-coach for the Iowa State University dairy judging teams.

Chris Hill of Thurmont, Md., will judge the All-American Guernsey show on Wednesday, Sept. 18. He and wife Jennifer own and operate MD-Hillbrook Sales Service, a sales and auctioneering business, through which he manages and assists with about 35 sales a year. The Hills maintain a small inventory of elite show cattle and have bred/owned more than 50 All American nominations over the past 10 years. Chris has judged numerous shows on the county, district, state, national and international levels including World Dairy Expo, All-American Dairy Show and shows in Argentina and Brazil, and he has served on panels for several judging competitions.

Sean Johnson of Glenville, Pa., will place the Premier National Junior Brown Swiss Show on Monday, Sept. 16, and the Eastern National Holstein and Pennsylvania Fall Holstein shows on Tuesday, Sept. 17, and Wednesday, Sept. 18. Currently an area sales manager for Premier Select Sires in Maryland and Pennsylvania, Sean’s 30-year dairy career began at Maple Dell Farm in Woodbine, Md. He also worked as a professional cattle fitter and then operated a hoof trimming business for 13 years. Sean returns for the eighth time to judge at the All-American and has also placed many regional, state and national shows, including Louisville and twice as an associate at World Dairy Expo, and internationally in Ecuador. He and wife Heather have two children – Liam and Paige.

Neil Kittle Jr., of Winchester, Ontario, will sort the Premier National Junior Guernsey Show on Monday, Sept. 16, and the All-American Ayrshire Show on Tuesday, Sept. 17. A fourth generation Ayrshire breeder of West Meadow Ayrshires and a crops seed specialist, Neil maintains a small elite group of Ayrshire and Holstein heifers and calves. He has bred and exhibited champions and numerous All-Canadian nominations and winners. Neil has judged seven different breeds in nearly 200 shows, including many Canadian shows in addition to the Royal Winter Fair. He also officiated in the U.S. at state shows like the All-American Dairy Show and several other state shows as well as internationally in Columbia and Finland. He and wife Susan have two daughters and two grandchildren.

Chris Lahmers of Marysville, Ohio, will officiate the Premier National Junior Red and White Show on Monday, Sept. 16, and the All-American Brown Swiss Show on Tuesday, Sept. 17 and Wednesday, Sept. 18. A marketing director for Coba Select Sires, Chris, wife Elizabeth and daughters Elaina, Ava and Audrey, exhibit Holstein and Brown Swiss cattle under the prefixes Lah-Dale and Brown Velvet. Returning to judge at the All-American for the sixth time, Chris also judged at World Dairy Expo four times, and at the show in Louisville eight times. Internationally, he placed cattle in Australia, Costa Rica and Japan.

Jason Lloyd of Middleburg, N.Y., returns to the All-American to place the Premier National Junior Jersey Show on Monday, Sept. 16, and the All-American Red and White Show on Wednesday, Sept. 18.  Jason owns Maple Downs Farms II, LLC, with parents David and Denise. The 150-cow dairy operation merchandises quality milk, feed and genetics, and the Lloyds crop 1,000 acres of corn, soybeans and hay. Jason has judged internationally in Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Peru, inaddition the New York State Holstein Show, Florida State Holstein and Jersey shows, the Fall National Milking Shorthorn Show at the Big E in New England, the Iowa Holstein Show.

Nathan Thomas of North Lewisburg, Ohio, will place the Premier National Junior Holstein Show on Monday, Sept. 16, and the All-American Jersey Show on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Along with wife Jenny and children Colton, Kendell and Camryn, Nathan owns and operates Triple-T Holsteins and Jerseys where they milk 35 head. Triple-T Holsteins has garnered more than 100 All-American and All-Canadian nominations in the last 12 years and many high scoring individuals have called the farm their home. Nathan makes his judging debut at All-American but has officiated at Holsteins and Jerseys at several state shows, as well as at World Dairy Expo and the Royal Winter Fair, in addition to shows Brazil and Mexico.

Mike Uber of Harrisville, Pa., will judge the All-American Milking Shorthorn Show on Tuesday, Sept. 17. A long-time All-American Dairy Show exhibitor, Mike will officiate at the show for the first time, after having judged many local, state and national shows. He has owned, bred and exhibited multiple dairy breed champions, including several All-American winners such as the 2018 Junior Champion Milking Shorthorn at the All-American and World Dairy Expo. Mike has also co-managed several cattle sales through which numerous All-American winners passed.

The All-American Dairy Show features 22 shows in six days in addition to the nation’s only all­ dairy antiques show. Last year’s show featured nearly 3,000 animals and 1,500 exhibitors from around the country.

For more information, contact the All-American Dairy Show at 717.787.2905, or by email at aads@pa.gov, or visit the website here.

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