Jersey Youth Achievement Winners Announced
The National Youth Achievement Contest recognizes Jersey youth from across the country for their leadership, activities and participation in Jersey functions, as well as their success in breeding and managing their own Jersey cattle. This past March, 15 applications from determined and dedicated youth from 10 different states arrived in the office of the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA). Each application was evaluated and ranked by a committee of judges to determine this year’s top 10 individuals.
The awards will be presented to the deserving November 9, 2019 during the All American at the annual Junior Banquet. Cash awards of $4,500 will be divided throughout the recipients and presented at the banquet.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Catherine Savage, Dickerson, Md.
This dairy science major at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is entering her junior year with plans to make her career in the dairy industry while continuing to breed, manage and show her own Jersey herd. At school she is involved with numerous dairy activities and has been awarded the AJCA’s Cedarcrest Farm Scholarship. She is active with the Maryland Jersey Cattle Club, having served as both Maryland Jersey Queen and Princess. Catherine was also a member of Class V of Jersey Youth Academy.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Gracie Krahn, Albany, Ore.
Gracie owns and manages a herd of 20 Registered Jerseys on her family’s operation, Royal Riverside Farms, which includes on-farm milk processing and bottling. Currently a senior at Santiam Christian High School, Adair Village, Ore., Gracie has plans to attend Oklahoma State University and pursue a degree in dairy science and ag communications. She was last year’s Premier Dairy Exhibitor at the Oregon State Fair and the Western Oregon’s Junior Jersey Show Champion Advanced Showman. Gracie is also active in dairy judging and the 4-H and FFA Programs as well as her state association.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Katarina Emerich, Moores, N.Y.
Katarina attends Purdue University studying agribusiness. Last year she placed second in the National Jersey Youth Production Contest with a homebred entry. She has also received the AJCA’s William A. Russell Memorial Scholarship and was a member of the fifth class of Jersey Youth Academy. Additionally, Katarina has also won the New England Jersey Breeder’s Association youth production contest. She is also an avid showman on the regional, state and national levels having exhibited the 2015 Reserve Junior All American Intermediate Heifer.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Allison Foster, Portage, Wis.
Allison Foster is a first-generation Jersey breeder from Portage, Wis. She placed fourth in the 2018 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest. At the 2018 Wisconsin Jersey Spring Spectacular Junior Show, she exhibited the Reserve Senior and Reserve Grand Champion and the day’s best bred and owned. She has been named first alternate National Jersey Queen two years in a row and has received the AJCA’s V.L. Peterson Scholarship and Anne Perchard Challenge Award. Allison was a member of Class III of Jersey Youth Academy. She is studying dairy science at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Samantha Schuessler, Antigo, Wis.
Sam attends California Polytechnic State University where she’s active in the Los Lecheros Dairy Club. She has exhibited her animals at notable events such as World Dairy Expo and many other Wisconsin shows. Samantha has earned numerous scholarships including the AJCA Director’s Scholarship and the Steve Maddox Dairy Judging Scholarship. She was a member of Class V of Jersey Youth Academy.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal. More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal. More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal. More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Colin Wussow, Cecil, Wis.
Colin helps operate Milk-n-More Farms and Harvesting LLC with his parents. His cow, JX River Valley Chrome Tris 1244 {5}-ET, earned third place in the 2018 Pot O’Gold Production Contest. He has also earned several production awards from the Wisconsin Junior Jersey Breeders Association. This year Colin participated in the sixth Class of Jersey Youth Academy. Last year, he was the Wisconsin Junior Jersey Breeder of the Year. He attends the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal. More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Hannah Diehl, McVeytown, Pa.
Hannah plays an active role on her family’s farm, Musser Run Jerseys. A sophomore at Penn State, she is involved with the school’s dairy science club and on the Penn State Reproductive Research Team. This year she was a member of Class VI of Jersey Youth Academy. She is very passionate about showing and judging cattle, having competed and exhibited on regional and state levels for several years.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Erin Leach of Linwood, Kan.
Erin is a senior at Oklahoma State University where she works on the school’s Ferguson Family Dairy Center and is active in the Dairy Science Club. Erin was a member of the fifth class of Jersey Youth Academy, participated in the National Jersey Queen Contest and received the 2017 William A. Russell Memorial Scholarship from AJCA. A highlight in her show ring accomplishments was exhibiting the 2018 Reserve Intermediate Champion and Champion Premier Performance Cow of the All American Junior Jersey Show.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Kylie Lehr, Canastota, N.Y.
The sophomore at Cornell University has a herd of 44 Registered Jerseys. Kylie has earned multiple production awards from the New York State Junior Jersey Breeders Association and has served as secretary of the state’s junior association. Her scholarship awards include the New York State Jersey Scholarship and AJCA’s Bob Toole Youth Award among many others.
More information about this More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Grace Howe, Waukon, Iowa
Grace is a member of the Iowa Jersey Breeders and served as the 2017 Iowa Jersey Princess. She is currently the Allamakee County Dairy Princess and Iowa Dairy Princess Alternate. Grace is active in both the show ring and in dairy judging competitions. She attends Iowa State University and is majoring in agricultural business.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2019 issue of the Jersey Journal.More information about this year’s award winners is
More Information
The competition is open to members of the AJCA who are between the ages of 16 and 20 on January 1 of the contest year, or placed among the top 10 in the previous year’s contest. Applications are due in March. The AJCA provides cash awards totaling $4,500 to the top 10 individuals. Awards will be presented at the Junior Banquet on November 9, 2019, during the All American festivities in Louisville, Ky.
