Clancey Krahn Tops 2025 Jersey Youth Achievement Contest

Oklahoma State University

Clancey Krahn has forged her way to the front of the 2025 National Jersey Youth Achievement contest after fourth and seventh place finishes in the 2024 and 2023 contests, respectively.

Krahn calls Royal Riverside Farm home. There, alongside her parents, Ben and Amy, and sister, Gracie, the family milks and bottles the milk from their herd and distributes it to local stores. She is responsible for managing the show string, a venture that has yielded several All American animals and other award-winning cattle for the Krahn sisters.

Understanding the importance of broadening her horizons, Krahn has also done internships with Red Dirt Genetics, Perkins, Okla., and Budjon Farms, Lomira, Wis., where she was involved in the daily herd activities and cattle preparation for sales and shows. She is also gaining experience at Oklahoma State University (OSU) on the campus dairy farm growing her knowledge in large herd management and robotic milking systems.

Over the years, Krahn has participated in just about every dairy youth opportunity available which is evident in her extensive resume. She was a graduate of Jersey Youth Academy Class VIII, placed first in the National FFA Dairy Production–Entrepreneurship Proficiency competition and won the International Dairy Judging Contest in Scottland. Krahn has also been a passionate voice for the dairy industry, serving as the 2023 National Jersey Queen and a Oregon Dairy Princess-Ambassador. In 2025, she participated in the U.S. Dairy Education and Training Consortium as well.

Krahn is dual majoring in agriculture communications and animal science at OSU. She is involved in a myriad of activities, such as the Chi Omega Sorority, Student Body Council, Dairy Science Club and others. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in agriculture communications and aspires to study abroad to expand her knowledge of global agriculture systems and policies.

Long term – Krahn has a simple goal. She would like to promote, market and advocate for American dairy farmers while improving public understanding of food systems, dairy production and environmental stewardship..

Nicole Arrowsmith has earned second place in the 2025 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest. A native of Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania, she is pursuing a degree in agribusiness management at Pennsylvania State University.

Growing up on her family’s dairy farm, Hillacres Jerseys, Arrowsmith unveiled her love and passion for the dairy industry. Her versatility shines through in her daily responsibilities—feeding calves, milking cows, helping with matings, feeding animals and caring for the show herd.

The Jersey cow has taken Arrowsmith across the United States while showing at local, state and national shows.

In fact, in 2025, she exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion and Premier Performance Cow of the All American Junior Jersey Show in Louisville, Ky., Hillacres Chrome Hibiscus, Excellent-94%. This is just one example in the long list of showring success stories that Arrowsmith has experienced in her youth career.

Overall, Arrowsmith has a herd of 17 heifers and 23 Registered Jersey cows. Her Jersey cows have an impressive average type appraisal score of Very Good-89%. A recipient of the 2023 Mike Hellenbrand Lasting Legacy Award, she also owns an additional two Ayrshires.

Arrowsmith’s passion for the Jersey breed is evident in her active participation in youth programs and dairy industry events. She has competed on several winning dairy quiz bowl teams and claimed victory in the junior dairy jeopardy contest at the 2017 AJCA-NAJ Annual Meeting.

A 2021 Jersey Youth Academy graduate, Arrowsmith continues to build connections throughout the industry and challenges herself to grow. She was able to soak in information about the Jersey breed, as well as the industry, which has helped fuel her passion for continuing her career within the dairy industry.

At Penn State, Arrowing is a member of the Dairy Science Club where she is currently serving as the chair for the 2026 Nittany Lion Fall Classic.

Looking ahead, Arrowsmith plans to return to Hillacres Jerseys after graduation to help expand the farm’s value-added ventures. The family currently processes much of their milk into cheese, sold at local stores and farmers markets, and markets beef raised on the farm. Arrowsmith understands the importance of diversification for long-term sustainability and is committed to continuing the tradition of showcasing the beautiful Jersey cows that call Hillacres Jerseys home.

Advancing to third place this year is Lee Taylor of Booneville, Miss., son of Bradley and Carla Taylor of Taylor Jersey Farms Inc.On the farm, Taylor plays an active role in daily operations, including milking cows, feeding calves, and handling whatever chores need to be done. Currently, the family is embarking on an exciting new venture of establishing a processing facility near their farm.

Taylor recently has become more involved in reproduction and genetics on the dairy. He acknowledges that building a herd to meet his high standards takes time, careful planning, and hard work. Taylor is committed to that journey when it comes to looking at the pedigrees of his potential service sires and using that information to hopefully create the best possible mating.

Taylor’s personal herd of 25 milk cows averages a Very Good–86% appraisal score and a 305-day M.E. production of 19,432 lbs. of milk, 865 lbs. of fat, and 731 lbs. of protein. In 2025, Taylor placed second in the Commissioner’s Production Contest with his cow, TJF Decade Lindy 1568 {6}, Excellent-90%, at the Mississippi State Fair.

He has competed at local, state, and national shows with his animals. In 2025, he traveled to shows in Mississippi, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Kentucky to exhibit his prized Registered Jerseys. He also has attended many AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings and All American Jersey events with his family where he has taken part in the “Give Us Your Best 60 Seconds” speaking contests.

Taylor credits these experiences, along with his time at Jersey Youth Academy, for allowing him to build a community of fellow enthusiasts who allow him to bounce ideas off of and brainstorm for the future of the breed.

As he continues his education at Mississippi State University, Taylor is studying agribusiness with a concentration in production. With the family’s processing facility opening, he aspires to be a major contributor to the endeavor and wants to take what he learns at school back home to improve their operation. On campus, he is involved with the newly established Dairy Club and Dairy Products Judging Team.

Scaling to a fourth-place finish in the 2025 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest is Cassie Bohnert of East Moline, Ill.Immersed in the rhythm of farm life early on, Cassie contributes her upbringing on Bohnert’s Jersey Farm to being what shaped her into the person she is today.

This 700-cow Registered Jersey farm was not just a workplace for Bohnert and her brothers, instead it was where they learned the importance of animal welfare, dedication and teamwork and the dividends it pays in a dairy’s success. She contributes to various roles on the farm, helping wherever and whenever it is needed.

As she has ventured into her collegiate chapter, Bohnert completed an internship with Dutch Hollow Jerseys, Schodack Landing, N.Y., to gain additional insight to management strategies in an elite commercial herd setting. While at school, her heart calls her home on weekends and breaks where she gets her dairy and fieldwork-fix depending on the season.

Bohnert’s herd of 31 cows has an average 305-day M.E. of 20,632 lbs. milk; 1,131 lbs. fat; and 782 lbs. protein. She has been a frequent competitor in the National Jersey Youth Production Contest having entries the past 10 years. Bohnert has also purchased several Pot O’Gold calves and placed well in those subsequent production contests.

An avid agriculturalist, Bohnert has exhibited her cattle at several local and state shows, as well as worked with DeMent Jerseys and Kilgus Jerseys during the Illinois State Fair. Growing up, she spent many summers attending the AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings, giving her the opportunity to experience agriculture in different parts of the United States and network with its dairy farm industry enthusiasts.

Bohnert is a graduate of the 2025 Jersey Youth Academy. She was also the recipient of the 2024 William A. Russell Memorial Scholarship, as well as numerous other scholarships and awards during her high school career.

At Iowa State University, Bohnert is pursuing a degree in dairy science with the goal of returning to the family farm. She is also honing her Spanish-speaking abilities while at school, understanding the importance of global advocacy and inclusion. She’s using experiences like her internships with Dutch Hollow Farms and Riverview Dairy’s new 10,000-cow facility to prepare her to be the next generation of leadership at Bohnert’s Jersey Farm.

Jumping to a fifth-place finish in the 2025 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest from last year’s eight place spot is Sarah Diehl from McVeytown, Pa. Diehl, the daughter of Joe and Kristin Diehl of Musser Run Jerseys, has had a Jersey youth career spanning 13 years with a variety of experiences under her belt. What sparked her interest was her early involvement on the family’s dairy farm, where she was responsible for the care of calves and youngstock in the 230-cow herd.

With a herd of 11 Registered Jersey cows and seven heifers, Diehl believes it is important for Jersey breeders to continue focusing on things within their control. She would like to encourage breeders to continue advancing not only genetically, but also in their management strategies in order to maximize on genetic potential.

A graduate of Class IX of the Jersey Youth Academy, Diehl credits her involvement with the Pennsylvania Jersey Cattle Association and exhibiting her Registered Jerseys for teaching her the value of hard work, strong public speaking skills, and the importance of embracing new opportunities.

A senior at Virginia Tech, Diehl will be graduating this coming spring with a degree in dairy science. After graduation, she will be enrolling into veterinary school with the aspirations of becoming a large animal veterinarian. She hopes to return to central Pennsylvania to give back to the farmers and community that spurred her interest in veterinary medicine, as well as to be able to remain active on the family dairy farm.

Diehl is an accomplished dairy cattle evaluator. In fact, at the 2025 National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, she was the 11th place overall individual and a member of the second-place team with Virginia Tech.

On campus, Diehl is actively involved in several organizations. She serves as the president for the Dairy Club, has served as a shift leader for H.E.I.F.E.R.S, and is a past Sheep Barn Chair of the Block and Bridle Club.

Placing sixth in this year’s National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest is Katelyn Poitras of Marysville, Ohio.Poitras owns a herd of 10 Registered Jersey heifers and 15 cows, in addition to 10 Holsteins. She has made trips to many local, state and national shows, including to the All American Jersey Show and World Dairy Expo. Over the years, Poitras has seen much success in those ventures.

Most notably, Poitras exhibited the Reserve All American and Reserve Junior All American Four-Year-Old Cow, Whitdale Gentry Goldust, Excellent-93%, in 2024. “Goldust” also won her class in the junior show at Madison, as well as walked away with Honorable Mention Senior Champion laurels. In 2024, Poitras also placed second in the International Youth Showmanship Contest at World Dairy Expo.

At Hi-Poits Jerseys, her home operation, Poitras manages the small herd of show heifers which entails their daily care and show preparation. Their milk cows live at a local farm where she helps as she is able. She recently moved to Ohio with a small group of her animals to Pond-Ridge Holsteins. There she assists with daily chores, show preparation, record keeping and IVF planning.

Poitras has an extensive resume in dairy youth activities in the northeast. She was part of the New England Jersey Breeders Association, Massachusetts Jersey Cattle Club, and was part of the Massachusetts 4-H dairy project and advisory where she was part of their dairy bowl and dairy judging teams.

She’s also an avid supporter of the Massachusetts Purebred Dairy Cattle Association where she leads many of the marketing efforts for their notable sale.

A graduate of Class VII of Jersey Youth Academy, Poitras credits the experience has having an instrumental impact on her networking abilities. It allowed her to see opportunities within the industry, as well as different examples of how dairies can function.

Passionate about continuing to better the Jersey breed, Poitras believes other breeders should continue promoting their beloved cows while highlighting their natural strengths. She plans to do this by continuing to grow her own herd while focusing on what cow families are introduced into her genetic pools.

Currently, Poitras is working as a communications assistant with the American Jersey Cattle Association, in addition to running her own small business and working for another company. Completely self-taught in her trade, Poitras wants to inspire youth that they can explore avenues to fuel their passion for Jersey cattle, even if they did not grow up on a traditional farming operation.

In her first year entering the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest, Kiara Konyn of Escondido, Calif., placed seventh.Growing up on Frank Konyn Dairy, the last remaining dairy farm in San Diego county, Konyn had the opportunity to get involved in many areas of the farm, but found herself focusing on caring for calves and youngstock. During this time, she learned the importance of attention to detail, commitment and hard work, as the three marinade together to help set the next generation of animals up for success.

Together with her sister, Kylie, they founded Aspire Jerseys and Holsteins which has grown to over 215 head of animals. The 44 Registered Jerseys in Konyn’s herd have an average type appraisal score of Very Good-83% and an average 305-day M.E. of 17,548 lbs. milk; 789 lbs. fat; and 630 lbs. protein.

Konyn has showcased her animals at local, state and national dairy cattle shows throughout the nation. She has also had the opportunity to work with other Registered Jersey breeders at national shows, allowing her to expand her network within the industry.

Konyn regularly attends the California Jersey Cattle Association annual meetings, as well as the All American events in Louisville, Ky. Over the years, Konyn has consistently had animals place in the California Junior Jersey Cattle Association Production Contests, as well as had an animal place 14th in the 2022 Pot O’Gold Production Contest. She also served as the 2025 California Jersey Queen.

In 2025, Konyn traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to partake in Class IX of Jersey Youth Academy. This experience allowed her to expand her understanding of the Jersey industry and strengthen her leadership skills.

Konyn has an extensive resume of activities from her high school career. She was a member of two 4-H clubs, was on the water polo, golf and swim teams, and participated in several other organizations. Additionally, she helped on the family farm giving tours to over 200 people each year.

A student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Konyn is pursuing a degree in dairy and food animal management, with aspirations to one day become a large animal veterinarian. On campus, she is involved in the Badger Dairy Club and Collegiate Farm Bureau. She has enjoyed helping with World Dairy Expo, attending the ADSA Conference, and participating in the YFA Conference.

Noelle Vos, Maribel, Wis., is the eighth-place award winner in the 2025 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest.Vos grew up on her family’s Registered Jersey farm, Proud Heritage Jerseys. She has been active in every aspect of the dairy, from feeding to milking to cropping, as well as mating animals. Like a true farm youth, she also was responsible for managing the family’s show string with her siblings each summer.

Vos also works at Liberty Land Farms in Newton, Wis., where they milk with seven Lely robots and an additional 300 Holsteins in a parlor. There, Vos is responsible for daily barn chores, maternity pen monitoring, feeding calves, maintenance and herd health routines. She appreciates this experience as it gave her perspective on different ways farms can operate.

Vos served as the 2025 Wisconsin Jersey Queen, as well as is a past vice president and secretary of the Wisconsin Junior Jersey Breeders Association. She was active in her local 4-H club and served on the Manitowoc County 4-H board.

Having an eye for cattle, Vos represented the state of Wisconsin at the 2025 North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) on the dairy judging team. There, she placed ninth overall high individual while finishing fourth in reasons. Overall, the team placed third.

Another Jersey Youth Academy graduate, Vos noted when AJCA-NAJ Executive Secretary Neal Smith asked the simple question of, “Where do you belong?” as a pivotal moment in her life. This question prompted her to think critically and confidently decide that her place is continuing her family’s legacy on the farm.

A freshman at UW-River Falls majoring in dairy science, Vos is active in Dairy Club, Block and Bridle and Collegiate Farm Bureau. As part of the Dairy Club, she was the chair of the 2025 Falcon Premier Sale, helped with Ag Tech Days, a FFA judging contest and Cookies for Farmers.

In the future, Vos wants to give back to the community by inspiring youth as an influential leader. She wants to help educate the public about all the work that goes into making a meal prior to cooking it. As a 4-H leader, she will help educate others on where their food comes from, as well as everything agriculture has to offer.

Taking home the ninth-place award in this year’s contest is Morgan Osborn-Wotthlie, Union Bridge, Md.Osborn-Wotthlie has participated in Jersey youth programming for over 14 years, having found her passion at a young age on the family farm, Bar-None Jerseys. There, she has a personal herd of 20 cows and 20 heifers.

Active in the showring with her animals, Osborn-Wotthlie could be found gracing the shavings at county and state fairs, as well as the All-American Premier Junior Show and All American Junior Jersey Show.

At a young age, Osborn-Wotthlie discovered the value of sharing her story, as well as the story of agriculture and the Jersey cow. She has given countless presentations on the industry, read books to classrooms and created meaningful connections with consumers through promotional events.

These efforts paid off, as she is currently serving as the 2025 National Jersey Queen for the AJCA. Osborn-Wotthlie is another graduate of Jersey Youth Academy, having participated in 2021.

Her time at Jersey Youth Academy ignited a fire and inspired her to spend time studying about in New Zealand to learn about sustainable agriculture, while still finding those Jersey connections. She was able to see the Jersey impact there, as well as in Australia, the Isle of Jersey and even in the Swiss Alps.

A senior at Messiah University, Osborn-Wotthlie is majoring in business administration and dance with an international business minor. This summer she participated in the International Business Institute where she traveled to seven countries over the course of eight weeks.

Given her worldly experiences, Osborn-Wotthlie believes it is important Jersey breeders continue to market the Jersey cow as a breed that not only provides a wholesome product, but also advances in industry in sustainability and environmental awareness.

Osborn-Wotthlie’s future is bright with opportunity. She hopes to continue traveling the world, learning about the opportunities and ways the Jersey cow can make our planet a better place. She hopes to find an international internship for 2027, potentially in international marketing. She is also exploring potentially pursuing a master’s degree in food science and agriculture abroad.

Eden Cooper, Owego, N.Y., placed tenth her first time entering the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest.Cooper grew up involved in her family’s dairy, Cooper Farm, where she owns 10 Registered Jersey cows and heifers. On the farm, she is primarily responsible for the care and management of young stock. She understands the importance of consistent daily care which sets the calves up for success as they mature. Cooper and her brother also manage a string of show animals which they exhibit at various shows throughout the year.

Her herd has proven its worth over the years, boasting an average 305-day M.E. of 21,103 lbs. milk; 1,141 lbs. fat; and 848 lbs. protein. The 10 cows also have an average type appraisal score of Very Good-88.6%. Cooper’s herd has also performed well in the show ring, having exhibited the second place and best bred and owned four-year-old at the 2025 Premier National Junior Show and the Reserve Intermediate Champion of the 2025 New York State Fair 4-H Show.

She credits her experiences in the showring and the network she’s developed with giving her the skills to be successful as a future educator. Cooper believes her involvement with Jerseys has not only shaped her work ethic, but aided her in growing into a confident, capable and highly motivated individual.

Cooper has been an active member of her local FFA chapter, having served two terms as the president and a single term as vice president. Over the years she has participated in several speaking contests through FFA. During her high school career Cooper was also a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Spanish Club, Video Club, basketball team, and served as an elementary aid.

In the future, Cooper envisions herself as an elementary school teacher. She aims to remain active in the family farm, using her summer breaks to continue helping on the dairy and exhibiting her animals at shows. By remaining closely connected to agriculture, Cooper believes it will allow her to bring real-life experiences into her classroom for more impactful experiences and lessons.