Perspective of Keith Topp, All American Judge

Keith Topp of Botkins, Ohio, was the most recent judge charged with placing the illustrious All American Jersey Show in Louisville, Ky. He describes it as a tremendous experience with many tough decisions when picking out “the best of the best” last November, including naming the 2019 National Grand and National Reserve Grand Champion.

Tell us a little about your dairy background. How did you first get involved with Registered Jerseys?

I grew up on our family farm, Topp-View Farms, where my mother and father built a legacy for us boys.  It’s a legacy we now share with our own families, and this is where our Jersey journey began.  My wife Kindra, son Keaton, and daughter Kinley and I were headed to deliver a Holstein cow to another farm.  When we walked into the barn, Keaton saw a Jersey calf with a white star on her head. Of course, he fell in love, and Kindra and I couldn’t say no. So that day we brought home our first “little brown cow” that started our herd.

Was there a moment or experience where you knew you wanted to be a judge?

I have always enjoyed looking at cattle and judging them.  I first started judging in high school through our FFA program.  I was usually in the top five at competitions. I knew I was pretty good at placing cattle, but I never thought that one day I would be standing in the middle of the show ring at the NAILE and World Dairy Expo picking out the best of the best. I was given my first judging job from Dick Felton (my wife’s grandfather) in 2002 at Delaware County Fair in Indiana.  I am forever grateful to him for kicking off my judging career.

Your kids are involved in dairy judging. What do you want them to learn from the experience?

My wife and I were lucky enough to be able to coach our kids FFA dairy judging team.  Their teams were very successful for several years and after winning the State FFA contest this past year and placing 7th in the National Contest their High School FFA, their judging career has come to an end.  My daughter Kinley has decided to continue judging and has accepted an offer to judge in college.  I want her to always stay true to her gut feeling and not change her placings to please other people.

Do any memories with and notable animals, especially Jerseys, stand out to you?

The most memorable experience for me was taking five Jersey cows and one Jersey heifer to the Ohio State Fair and being named Premier Breeder.  I was so proud of breeding every animal I exhibited that day.   There are some great Jersey herds in Ohio, so it was a huge honor for me.

Were there any favorite moments you’ve had in your judging career? Please describe.

In 2017, I was honored to be selected to judge the Brown Swiss show at World Dairy Expo.  When I reached the Senior Two-year-old class I knew there were two cows in the class that needed to be on the top, and the fact that they were exhibited by juniors made the moment so much sweeter.  I pointed first and second to the kids and they looked around and then back at me in disbelief.  I stared them dead in the eye and pulled them again without any hesitation.  I have always been a firm believer that every person in the ring deserves a look.

What are some of the thoughts that went through your mind as you’d place a class?

The thought that ran through my head most frequently this year while judging the All American show was “They are all good, now where do I start?”  I always tell myself “At the end of the day you only have to make one person happy, yourself.”

Describe your emotions as you selected your winners and went to congratulate the exhibitors.

The exhibitors in the ring are my peers and friends that work so hard and spend so much time and money to get a chance to be in this one class.  There are so many emotions when you go out to pick a champion; honor, excitement, nervousness, and, last but not least, so much respect.

Now a month out from Louisville, when you think back, what is the most memorable thing about this year’s Jersey Jug Futurity.

I was very humbled to have so many compliments on my judging, I appreciate that.  The most memorable thing, and the thing I was most grateful for, was to have one of my closest friends and a great cow-man, Grant Cope, by my side to talk about and place the phenomenal cows that were presented to us.