Twenty-four youth from the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association will be honored during the annual Junior Holstein Convention later this month in Appleton.
The 12 & Under Recognition and Young Distinguished Junior Member (YDJM) award recipients will be recognized on evening of Dec. 29 of convention.
12 & Under Recognition Winners
Royce Booth, 10, is the son of Chris and Courtney Booth who own Booth-Haven Holsteins of Plymouth. This year, Royce earned District 10 Junior Champion and Sheboygan County Fair Reserve Junior Champion and Reserve Supreme Champion Showman with two homebred heifers.
Justin Brandel, 11, is the son of Matthew & Tracy Brandel. His family partners in Straussdale Holsteins LLC, where they milk 175 Registered Holsteins located in Lake Mills. Justin helps with various farm chores including working with show calves.
Evan Brey, 10, is the son of Tony and Moriah Brey of Sturgeon Bay. The family resides at Brey Cycle Farm LLC, a 700-cow Registered Holstein farm. He enjoys working with his animals, reading Holstein bull proofs, and learning Holstein facts.
Kayla Buttles, 11, is the daughter of Andy and Lynn Buttles. She and her sister Christina live on Stone-Front Farm, where she loves to spend time with her family and learn about all aspects of the farm.
Makenna Gilbertson, 11, is the daughter of Erik and Brenda Gilbertson, Hollandale. On the farm at Gildale Holsteins, Makenna helps with calf chores, record keeping and loves pedigrees. She participates in dairy bowl, dairy judging and has exhibited at national, state, district and county levels.
Madison Harbaugh, 10, is the daughter of Lynn and Sara Harbaugh of Marion. She is actively involved with Bella-View Holsteins, a registered heifer operation., and works with about 10 show heifers daily, and with her family, exhibits at county, district, state and national shows.
Vivian Lichty is the daughter of Steve and Dori Lichty. She and her family milk Registered Holsteins and Jerseys outside of Beaver Dam. In addition to showing at district, state, and national shows, Vivian enjoys dairy bowl, dairy judging, the Holstein public speaking contest, and reading a good book.
Miles Rickert, 12, is the son of Andrew and Shannon Rickert, Van Dyne. He is actively involved in his family’s 1,020 cow Registered Holstein farm and is a member of the Fond du Lac Junior Holstein Association, enjoys dairy bowl and showing his fall calf.
Cameron Ryan, 12, is the son of Chad and Amy Ryan of Fond du Lac and is very involved in his grandparents’ dairy farm, Ryan-Vu Holsteins where he assists with feeding heifers, caring for his show heifers, milking cows and other aspects of the day-to-day chores.
Braelyn Sarbacker, 10, is the daughter of Joe and Sarah Sarbacker of Verona. Braelyn grew up on Fischerdale Holsteins with her parents and sisters, Payton and Reagan. Braelyn enjoys showing Holsteins and spending time with her family at the shows.
Madison Sarbacker is the daughter of Nick and Jessica Sarbacker and helps her family operate Heritage Holsteins and Agnew Farms near Whitewater, where they grow corn and soybeans in addition to developing a small herd of Registered Holsteins.
Payton Sarbacker, 12, is the daughter of Joe and Sarah Sarbacker of Verona. Payton enjoys showing Holsteins and spending time with her family at the district and state show, county fair, and at World Dairy Expo. She also enjoys dairy judging and participating at the Junior Holstein Convention.
Young Distinguished Jr Member winners
Katie Brandel, 12, is the daughter of Matthew & Tracy Brandel. Katie enjoys working with her show cattle and helping out on the family farm Straussdale Holsteins near Lake Mills where they milk 175 Registered Holsteins.
Alison Gartman, 13, is the daughter of Luke and Liz Gartman of Sheboygan. Most of Alison’s Holstein show animals are homebred on Phil-Mar farms. She has shown at county, district and state levels in her Holstein career and is hoping to show at World Dairy Expo next year.
Cathryn Gunst, 15, is the daughter of Willis and Carla Gunst, Pine River. As a member of the Waupaca-Waushara Junior Holstein Association, she is on the dairy bowl team, does dairy jeopardy and participates in the other contests as well. She’s been a big part of planning this year’s convention.
Christopher Gunst, 15, is the son of Willis and Carla Gunst, Pine River. On the farm, Christopher helps with taking care of his heifers and helps make hay. He has been busy helping plan this year’s convention. In addition, he shows his cattle at the local county fair, district show and state show.
Elizabeth Gunst, 16, is the daughter of Dennis and Nikki Gunst near Hartford. She is the sixth generation to reside at her family’s farm, Ladinodale Holsteins and shares a passion for farming, helping in all aspects of cropping 300 acres of farmland and custom raising heifers.
Logan Harbaugh, 14, is the son of Lynn & Sara Harbaugh of Marion. At Bella-View Holsteins, Logan performs a variety of jobs working with 10-15 show heifers daily, and exhibits at county, district, state and national shows throughout the year. He was the high junior individual in the State 4-H Dairy Judging Contest.
Ellie Larson, 15, is the daughter of Jamie and Amy Larson, and part of the sixth generation of Larsons farming in Rock County. She is a member of the Rock County Junior Holstein Breeders, and Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association, through which she has participated in a long list of projects and activities.
Laney Neuser, 12, is the daughter of Jim and Sarah Neuser of Cato. Laney shows dairy cattle at county, district, and state levels. She competes in dairy bowl and dairy jeopardy for Manitowoc County Junior Holstein Association. Laney enjoys owning, showing and training her Holsteins and Jerseys.
Ella Raatz, is the daughter of Al and Teri Raatz of Colby and is a member of the Clark County Junior Holstein Association. She found a way to be active in the Junior Holstein Association by partnering with local dairy farmers and showing Registered Holsteins during the summer.
Dylan Ryan, 13, is the son of Chad and Amy Ryan of Fond du Lac, and is very active on his grandparents’ dairy farm, Ryan-Vu Holsteins. He enjoys showing his cattle at the local, district, state and national levels. Dylan likes competing in dairy bowl, dairy jeopardy and dairy judging.
Paige Sweatt, 16, is the daughter of Paul and Jenny Sweatt and resides on the family’s home farm in Dane. She is a member of the Junior Holstein Association, the Lodi Challengers 4-H Club, and Lodi FFA, where she holds officer positions and is actively involved.
Madison Wiese, 14, is the daughter of Dan and Angela Wiese. She has been a member of the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association for four years. Along with Junior Holsteins, Madison is her 4-H club’s president, and is an active FFA member.
Source: Wisconsin State Farmer/Wisconsin Holstein Association