Coffey Wins National Jersey Youth Production Contest
Lacy Coffey of Morristown, Tenn., has topped the 2024 National Jersey Youth Production Contest with her homebred entry, Aspen Grove L Chrome Belle-ET.
She and the 19 other juniors who placed in the contest will be recognized at the All American Jersey Youth Awards Ceremony on November 8, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. Each will receive a plaque and cash awards made possible, in part, by Jersey breeders who consign animals to the National Heifer Sale. Each year, 10% of the proceeds from this sale are designated for youth program support, including the National Jersey Youth Production Contest.
Records are ranked by the multiple-component dollar value of the record. The values were determined by calculating the 305-day mature equivalent (m.e.), then applying Federal Order component values for the previous year along with a weighted average Producer Price Differential (PPD). Those values were $3.29 per pound fat, $1.90 per pound protein, $0.30 per pound other solids and $1.24 per pound PPD.
This contest recognizes the efforts of junior owners to compile and utilize official production records of their animals. Through this one activity, youth gain experience using records to manage and breed their Jersey cows and understand the value of production.
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.
Total cash awards are $550. Each division winner receives $100. The second-place honoree receives $75; third takes home $50; and fourth receives $25. The overall winner gets an additional $50, bringing their award total to $150.
This year, 83 qualified entries from 49 juniors from 11 states were received. The top 20 animals ranked in this year’s contest have an m.e. average of 24,185—1,321—925 and a dollar value of $6,248.15. All entries have an m.e. average of 21,976—1,140—818 and a dollar value average of $5,466.19.
Division II
The previously mentioned “Belle” was the winner of the division for older cows and the overall winner.
She is no stranger to the contest. She topped the division for younger cows and was the overall winner as well last year for Alison Graves, also of Morristown. “Belle” is owned as a partnership between Lacy and her sister, Lexi, and Alison and her sister, Lauren. Over the years, the four have shown and helped with chores at Aspen Grove Jerseys, operated by Dr. Daniel Parks, who calls them his “adopted grandkids.” Lacy handles feeding and milks two evenings each week. Alison now has her own small herd of Jerseys and Lexi is just beginning to show.
“Belle” is a Very Good-88% daughter of River Valley CeCe Chrome-ET, GJPI +68. She produced a record with a dollar value of $7,682.24 to win the contest. Actual production for the 3-1 record is 20,220 lbs. milk, 1,491 lbs. fat (7.4%) and 782 lbs. protein (3.9%). The m.e. is 22,883—1,629—870. She is out of Aspen Grove Liberty Bell, Excellent-92%, a matriarch at Aspen Grove Jerseys. The next seven dams are Excellent as well. Her fifth dam is Duncan Belle, winner of the 2000 Jersey Journal Great Cow Contest and two-time Canadian National Grand Champion.
Elizabeth Hyman, Adams, N.Y., placed second in Division with her homebred entry, Hy-Light Completely Marisol 2909. The Excellent-90% daughter of Progenesis Completely-ET, GJPI +15, made a record with a dollar value of $7,420.86 and an m.e. of 27,515—1,425—967. The actual record is 4-9 305 3x 31,490 5.2% 1,636 3.4% 1,080 92DCR.She has two other impressive milk records as well, a 24,000-pound record as a milking yearling followed by a 28,000-pound record as a junior three-year-old.
She comes by her high type and high production naturally. Her three closest dams are Very Good with multiple records over 20,000 lbs. milk. Her third dam has a top record of 31,770 lbs. milk, 1,340 lbs. fat and 1,047 lbs. protein. The next dam is Excellent-91%.
“Marie 1124” has five lactations and four daughters by natural birth.
Addison Fischer of Cecil, Wis., placed third with Colins Lolala Eudialyte. The Very Good-87% daughter of River Valley Lolalala-ET, -96, made a junior three-year-old record of 22,860 lbs. milk, 1,294 lbs. fat and 907 lbs. protein. The dollar value of the record is $7,380.07. The m.e. is 25,728—1,432—1,008.
“Eudialyte” was bred by Colin Wussow, a former winner of both the national youth production contest and the Pot O’Gold Production Contest, and purchased by Addison and Hailey Fischer as a heifer calf in 2021. She is backed by at least 10 Very Good or Excellent dams with high production, tracing five generations back to Gabys Restore Dixie-ET, an animal Colin purchased in the Pot O’Gold Sale in 2008. She is out of Gabys Jacinto Dema, Excellent-91%, with a pair of records over 32,000 lbs. milk and several sons in A.I.
Charlie Tauchen, Bonduel, Wis., ranked fourth in Division II with Tauchens Chinook Emery, a homebred entry that produced a record with a dollar value of $6,788.07. The Very-Good-80% daughter of Ahlem Kwynn Chinook 23485, GJPI +28, made an actual record of 3-0 282 21,430 5.3% 1,130 4.0% 855 97DCR. The m.e. is 24,281—1,284—975.
The cow he owns in partnership with his sisters, Abby and India, writes a deep pedigree as well. Seven of her eight closest dams are Very Good or Excellent. Six of these have actual records over 20,000 lbs. milk. Her eighth dam is Duncan Eilene of HLF, Excellent-96%, Supreme Champion of World Dairy Expo in 1995.
Rounding out the top five rankings in the division for older cows is Bohnerts Tad Vale, the entry of Cassie Bohnert of East Moline, Ill. Appraised Very Good-86%, the daughter of Cal-Mart Pilgrim Tad, GJPI +61, made an actual record of 4-8 305 3x 24,760 6.1% 1,513 4.4% 1,101 93DCR. The dollar value of the record is $6,754.88 and the m.e. is 21,096—1,310—962.
The aged cow Cassie owns in partnership with her brothers, Tyler and Jacob, traces four generations back to Huronia Centurion Veronica 20J, Excellent-97%. “Vale” made more than 20,000 lbs. milk in her second lactation as well and has two registered daughters.
Division I
The winner of Division I of the 2024 National Jersey Youth Production Contest is Sara Bok, Defiance, Ohio. Her entry, MM Popcorn Shelby 17874-P-ET, is a purchase made from Misty Meadow Dairy, Tillamook, Ore., in the Pot O’Gold Sale in 2022. The Very Good-84% daughter of Pine-Tree Popcorn-PP-ET, GJPI +63, made a record with a value of $7,260.38. Actual production for the 1-6 record is 20,860 lbs. milk, 945 lbs. fat and 725 lbs. protein. The m.e. is 29,58— 1,346—1,034.
The dollar value of her record ranks second in the 2025 Pot O’Gold Production Contest.
The grandam of “Shelby 17874-P” is Rog-Al Chrome Shelby, purchased by Misty Meadow Dairy at the All American Jersey Sale in 2019. She was entered into the donor dam program at the dairy in Oregon and has 63 registered progeny to date.
Tyler Bohnert placed second with JX Bohnerts Gallantry Lolipop {5}. She made a milking yearling record with a dollar value of $7,159.23 and an m.e. of 25,200—1,384—983. The actual record is 1-8 305 3x 21,540 5.3% 1,141 3.8% 815 91DCR. She is sired by JX Sexing Gallantry {4}-ET, GJPI +31, and appraised Very Good-83%.
She represents several generations of Tyler’s breeding on the Bohnert family’s “L” cow family. She has subsequently completed another stellar record of 2-8 305 3x 23,800 5.6% 1,340 3.8% 898 93DCR. She has one registered daughter in the herd.
Placing third is Hailey Fisher of Cecil, Wis., with JX Heinz Berrara Lynn 6678 {4}. She made a junior two-year-old record with a dollar value of $6,998.96 and an m.e. of 23,263—1,359—972. The actual record is 18,580 lbs. milk, 1,094 lbs. fat and 772 lbs. protein.
Hailey purchased “Lynn 6678 {4}” from breeder Lloyd Heinz of Shawano, Wis., in 2021 as a heifer calf. The solidly-bred daughter of JX Sexing Uncle Luke Berrara {3}-ET, GJPI +51, is appraised Very Good-84%. She is backed by six Very Good dams, all with records over 20,000 lbs. milk and to 27,000 lbs. milk.
Nicholas McReynolds, Danville, Vt., ranks fourth with his homebred entry, Lucky Hill Macmelody Cool Whip. The Very Good-84% daughter of River Valley Macmelody-ET, GJPI +67, made a 1-8 record of 17,950 lbs. milk, 936 lbs. fat and 689 lbs. protein actual. The dollar value of the record is $6,715.90 and the m.e. is 24,350—1,277—948.
“Cool Whip” traces four generations back to Nick’s foundation cow, Lucky Hill Louie Lucent, Very Good-81%. Naming his cattle after desserts and other snack treats, he has placed several times in the youth production contest with members of this cow family.
Renee Lydia Bok, Defiance, Ohio, rounds out the top five rankings in Division I of the production contest with Evans Farm Caliban April. Like her sister, she purchased “April” from the 2022 Pot O’Gold Sale from Clara Lynn Evans of Chester, S.C. She made a milking yearling record with a dollar value of $6,687.64 and an m.e. of 28,731—1,221—962. Her actual record is 1-11 305 21,388 4.3% 929 3.4% 722 94DCR.
The Very Good-81% daughter of Primus Viceroy Caliban-ET, GJPI +88, has calved again and completed a 2-11 record of 18,580 lbs. milk, 705 lbs. fat and 621 lbs. protein.
“April” is a potential sixth-generation Excellent. Her third dam is Ratliff Price Alicia, Excellent-95%, three-time National Grand Champion and two-time Supreme Champion of the North American International Livestock Exposition.
Other Winners
Other juniors to be honored for accomplishments in Division I of the contest are Ava Hebgen, de Forest, Wis.; Jacob Bohnert, East Moline, Ill.; Austin Dizek, Juniors to be recognized for achievements in Division II are Zachary Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y.; Coltan Seals, Tillamook, Ore.; Kirsten Boreman, West Salem, Ohio; Johnathon Lawton, Cincinnatus, N.Y.; and Paisley Kessenich, de Forest, Wis.
