2018 National Jersey Youth Production Contest Results
For the 12th time in history, a junior has won both youth production contests sponsored by the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA). Jacob Tatko, Donahue, Iowa, earned the laurels with JX Clemson Lemonhead 330 604 {6}, who won the 2018 National Jersey Youth Production Contest and the 2019 Pot O’Gold Production Contest, both awarded in the fall of 2019 for records completed last year.
The 33 other juniors who placed in either the 2018 National Jersey Youth Production Contest and/or the 2019 Pot O’Gold Production Contest will be recognized for their achievements on November 9, 2019, at the Junior Banquet which wraps up Junior Day at the All American festivities in Louisville, Ky. The 20 winners in the National Jersey Youth Production Contest will be given plaques and cash awards made possible, in part, by Jersey breeders who consign their heifers to the National Heifer Sale. The 22 winners in the Pot O’Gold Production Contest will receive cash prizes and certificates.
For more information about how the results are ranked, contest details and more in-depth information on the award recipients, please see the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Division I
The winner of Division I and the overall contest was Jacob Tatko (pictured left) with his entry, JX Clemson Lemonhead 330 604 {6}, Very Good-85%, who made a record with a dollar value of $6,128.89 on her first lactation at 1-9. Tatko purchased ‘Clemson’ as an eight-month-old heifer from Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., at the 2016 Pot O’Gold Production Contest. She freshened in mid-November 2017 and made a 305-day record of 22,080 lbs. milk, 1,702 lbs. fat (7.7%) and 890 lbs. protein (4.0%) with a cheese yield of 3,082 lbs. The m.e. on the record is 28,044-2,146-1,147. The record currently ranks third for fat among yearlings on the National Class Leader list.
McCalister Russell, Hilmar, Calif., earned second prize in Division I with her homebred entry, Andas Plus Legal T33128 {6}. The Very Good-83% cow produced a 2-6 record of 25,340 lbs. milk, 1,398 lbs. fat and 944 lbs. protein (3x milking), with a dollar value of $5,630.16 and an m.e. of 26,014-1,440-977. Placing third in the contest was Lawtons Valentino Faith for Chelsie Fuller of Newark Valley, N.Y. Her 2-5 record of 22,260 lbs. milk, 1,004 lbs. fat and 769 lbs. protein has an m.e. of 28,295-1,245-972 and a value of $5,163.91.
Division II
Autumn Courtney, Chouteau, Okla., (left) topped the division for older cows with Lyon Legal Lacosta, Excellent-91%. At 4-9, ‘Lacosta’ made a 4-9 record of 27,170 lbs. milk, 1,452 lbs. fat and 1,016 lbs. protein, with an m.e. of 27,500-1,552-1,015 and a value of $5,997.42 to edge her peers in Division II. Autumn purchased ‘Lacosta’ in partnership with her brother, Logan, from Lyon Jerseys, Toledo, Iowa, in the Post Time at Ratliff’s Sale in 2017.
Elizabeth Hyman of Adams, N.Y. placed second in Division II with a cow that earned high laurels in Division I of the contest in 2015. In her third lactation, Hy-Light Jupiter Casino 1300 produced 27,170 lbs. milk, 1,452 lbs. fat and 965 lbs. protein (3x milking) at 4-1. The m.e. on the record is 25,195-1,330-898 and the dollar value is $5,210.22. Coming in third was Austin Dizek, Hadley, Mass., with his entry, Lawtons Valentino Edie, whom he purchased in the 2015 Pot O’Gold Sale. The Excellent-90% ‘Valentino’ daughter made a 3-0 record of 22,870 lbs. milk, 1,177 lbs. fat and 848 lbs. protein, with an m.e. of 25,928-1,282-940 and a value of $5,169.31.
For more detailed information regarding the award winners, reference the September issue of the Jersey Journal.
More Information
To qualify for the competition, cows must have completed a lactation of no more than 305 days during the calendar year. The contest is divided into two divisions. Division I is for first-lactation cows that calve before they reach 30 months-of-age. Division II is for all other cows. Participants are eligible for an award in only one division and an overall contest winner is recognized. A junior is eligible to win the overall National Jersey Youth Production Contest just once. For more information regarding entry and eligibility, visit the Youth Programs page on the USJersey website.
