Lydia Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y., has been named the 67th winner of the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest. Her sister, Emily, and father, Alan, have won this prestigious youth award as well.
Lydia and nine other juniors will be recognized for their achievements in the contest at the Youth Awards Ceremony held during All American festivities in Louisville, Ky., in November.
The 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.
More information about this year’s award winners is available in the September 2022 issue of the Jersey Journal.
First Lydia Chittenden, Schodack Landing, NY
Cornell University
Animal Science, Dairy Management Concentration
This year’s winner is Lydia Chittenden. The daughter of Alan and Donna Chittenden, she placed third in 2020 and fifth in 2019. A senior at Cornell University, she is studying animal science with a concentration in dairy management.
Chittenden has been involved with Jerseys for 20 years and is a junior member of the AJCA, New York Jersey Cattle Club, Chenango (NY) District Jersey Cattle Club, and the Delaware County (NY) Jersey Cattle Club.
She owns 46 cows and 35 heifers and is part of Dutch Hollow Farm LLC. Her herd had a 2021 average production of 20,689 lbs. milk, 1,015 lbs. fat, 776 lbs. protein with an average type score of 83% on 40 cows. She has received several production awards including three top 10 placings in the National Jersey Production Contest and 14th place in the 2021 Pot O’Gold Production Contest.
An experienced judge, Chittenden has been a member of the New York State 4-H judging team for several years. In 2019, she was first individual in the Guernsey class, third overall team, and ninth place individual overall at the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging contest in Madison, Wis.
At Cornell University she is a member of Sigma Alpha professional agriculture sorority, collegiate Farm Bureau, dairy science club, is a dairy fellow, and works as an undergraduate teaching assistant.
In addition to her education, she has been involved in dairy leadership programs to learn more about the industry. She was a member of the Jersey Youth Academy Class VI, and participated in both the New York State Pro-Dairy Beginning and Junior Dairy Leaders programs.
Her future plans, after graduation, are to work in herd health and management. She loves analyzing genetic numbers, something she discovered after winning Supreme Champion at the 2017 Columbia County Fair with an aged cow that she bred. Her ultimate goal would be to return home to her family’s farm, but first wants to gain new experiences from other farms and see a variety of different practices.
Second Josh Seals, Tillamook, Ore.
Oregon State University/Eastern Oregon University
Ag Science
In second place, for the second time is Josh Seals. He is the son of Dave and Kim Seals and graduated with a degree in agricultural sciences from Oregon State University/Eastern Oregon University.
Seals is a 15-year junior member of the AJCA and has a herd of 24 cows and 27 heifers that is part of his family’s Sunny Ridge Dairy. He has participated in the Western National, placing fourth in youth showmanship and seventh in class.
He has been active in FFA, earning his American Degree in 2020 and placing ninth individually and third place team in the 2018 national FFA dairy cattle evaluation contest.
He is a member of the Sandlake Grange, Amateur Trapshooting Association, and was a member of the Eastern Oregon University trapshooting team.
After participating in the Jersey Youth Academy VI, in 2019, Seals realized he wanted a future with Jerseys. He has set a goal of selling a heifer in the National Heifer Sale and selling a bull into A.I.
Since graduating, he has returned home to help run the dairy and has plans to expanded the herd by 30%. Long-term, he would like to own his own farm.
Third Mary Holtz, Maquoketa, Iowa
Iowa State University
Dairy Science and International Agriculture
Up from seventh place in 2020, Mary Holtz is this year’s third place winner. She is the daughter of Jeff and Lisa Holtz and is a senior studying dairy science and international agriculture at Iowa State University (ISU). She grew up on her family’s farm, Holtz-View Farms.
Her Jersey herd consists of 70 cows and 65 heifers. Additionally, she owns 20 Ayrshires and eight Brown Swiss animals. She has been an AJCA junior member for 11 years, as well as the Iowa Jersey Cattle Club and Jackson/Clinton County Dairy Promotion Board.
At ISU, Holtz is involved with the Dairy Science Club, Block and Bridle Club, Collegiate 4-H, Pre-Veterinary Club, and the Beginning Farmers Network. She has also been a part of ISU Dairy CY, an independent research program to improve the Jersey herd at the ISU dairy farm.
She was the recipient of both the AJCA Lineweaver Scholarship and Cedarcrest Scholarship, in addition to the 2021 National Dairy Shrine Scholarship. She has also participated in the Jersey Youth Academy.
Her future plans include attending graduate school in animal breeding and genetics, specializing in large animal reproduction. Holtz would like to focus on embryo transfer, invitro fertilization and other artificial insemination processes. Her hope is to be able to help produce better quality animals, and in turn provide better quality foods.
Fourth Kathryn Bosley, Malone, N.Y.
University of Minnesota Graduate School
Animal Science
After placing second in 2019, and sixth in 2020, Kathryn Bosley is this year’s fourth place winner. She is the daughter Jennifer and Charles Bosley and in her second year of graduate school studying animal science at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has a bachelor’s of science degree in animal science from State University of New York (SUNY)-Cobleskill, where she earned an award for the highest GPA in animal science.
An outstanding judge of cattle, Bosley placed second individually in the 2019 Big E post-secondary dairy judging contest, 16th as an individual in the 2017 National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest, and first at the 2017 Northern New York Regional 4-H Dairy Judging Contest.
Her Jersey herd consists of 45 cows and 38 heifers and has an average linear type score of 87.3%. She has shown at the All American for the past eight years, winning Junior Champion in the 2014 open show.
She has been an AJCA junior member for 12 years and is the current secretary of the New York Jersey Cattle Club. Crowned the 2021 New England Jersey Princess, Bosley was a top five finalist in the 2021 National Jersey Queen contest.
Bosley considers herself to be an advocate for agriculture. Through her social media platforms, with over 11K followers, she educates her audience about the benefits of dairy and dispelling myths about the industry. She hopes her current research on improving dairy cattle health and welfare through genetics will lead to a future as a professor in dairy genetics.
Fifth Regan Jackson, Boyce, Va.
Louisiana State University
Nutrition and Food Science
This year’s fifth place winner is Regan Jackson. Her parents are Kevin and Laura Jackson. She is a freshman at Louisiana State University majoring in nutrition and food science.
No stranger in the showring, Jackson has exhibited at the All American Jersey Show since 2016, winning Honorable Mention Grand Champion and second place Premier Performance cow of the junior show in 2021. Also in 2021, she exhibited the Pennsylvania All American open show Grand Champion and the Supreme Best Bred and owned animal.
In addition to her showring awards, Jackson has proven herself to be an outstanding cattle judge. At the 2021 World Dairy Expo 4-H Dairy Judging Contest she placed, as an individual, fourth in Ayrshires and 15th overall. In the 2021 Virginia Sate FFA Dairy Judging Contest, Jackson was the second high senior individual overall. In addition, she earned an honorable mention as a junior in the 2020 Hoard’s Dairyman International Judging Contest.
She has been a junior member of the Virginia Jersey Cattle Club and AJCA for nine years. Her herd consists of nine cows and 10 heifers and is part of her family’s Waverly Farm herd.
An accomplished communicator, Jackson’s FFA prepared speech, Rethink Your Drink, earned her fourth place at the 2020 state FFA contest, first place with the Virginia Holstein Association and third place at the 2021 National Holstein convention. Jackson has been a Virginia Dairy Maid/Ambassador since 2013.
Her future plans are to attend medical school to become a doctor and become an advocate for the dairy industry.
Sixth Caroline Arrowsmith, Peach Bottom, Pa.
Penn State University
Animal Science
Caroline Arrowsmith is this year’s sixth place winner. She is the daughter of Thomas and Amanda Arrowsmith. A sophomore at Penn State University, she is studying animal science.
Arrowsmith has been an junior member of both the AJCA and Pennsylvania Cattle club for 12 years. She owns 20 Jersey cows and 13 heifers, along with five Holsteins. In 2014, her herd received a ninth place Pennsylvania production award.
She has been active with her Jerseys, showing them at many events including the All American Jersey Show, the Premier National Jersey Show, and The Jersey Event, where she earned Honorable Mention Grand Champion in 2021.
In 2021, she was named the first alternate National Jersey Queen and was recognized by National Dairy Shrine with the Maurice E. Core Scholarship.
While at Penn State, she has been involved with Alpha Zeta Fraternity and the dairy science club, serving as the assistant sale chair and the community service chair.
After graduation, Arrowsmith would like to be a calf manager for a large scale dairy operation and eventually become a calf specialist with a nutrition company. She believes that by working in heifer nutrition, she will be able to assist dairy farmers become more profitable by managing their younger stock.
Seventh Gracie Krahn, Albany, Ore.
University of Wisconsin
Agricultural Communications and Political Science
Placing seventh in this year’s contest is Gracie Krahn. This is her fourth year to rank among the top 10 of the contest. Her parents are Ben and Amy Krahn.
She has been involved with Jersey activities for the past 16 years as a junior member of both the AJCA and the Oregon Junior Jersey Association, where she has served as an officer for four years.
Her Jersey herd consists of 23 cows and 27 heifers and is part of her family’s Royal Riverside Farm. At the 2021 Western National Show, she exhibited both the Junior Champion and Reserve Junior Champion and at the 2013 All American Show she exhibited the Reserve Junior Champion in both the open and junior shows.
Krahn has been an active promoter of the Jersey breed serving as the 2019 National Jersey Queen. She was a member of the 2021 National Jersey Youth Academy and is currently serving as the Oregon Dairy Princess-Ambassador.
She hopes to pursue a career in agriculture policy and advocacy after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she is studying agriculture communications and political science with a minor in dairy science.
Eighth Meghan Hettinga, Orange City, Iowa
South Dakota State University
Dairy Production
Last year’s 10th place winner is up two spots. Meghan Hettinga is this year’s eighth place winner. She is the daughter of Jason and Mary Hettinga. She has been involved with Jerseys for 13 years and has a herd of three cows and seven heifers. She has participated in the Iowa Pot of Gold contest, winning in 2011 and placing second in 2014.
She studied dairy production at South Dakota State University (SDSU) where she was involved in the dairy club and the dairy products judging team. Additionally, she has served on the National Dairy Shrine Social Media committee for two years.
Hettinga was a member of the 2019 Jersey Youth Academy. It was during this program that she decided to shift her future goals from being a veterinarian to being an advocate for the dairy industry. She has been a representative of the industry by serving as the 2019 and 2020 Iowa Jersey Princess. In addition, she was selected as a top six finalist in the 2020 National Jersey Queen Contest. Through winning the 2021 Fred Stout Internship Experience, she was able to complete an internship at Cinnamon Ridge Dairy and educate kids through their Dairy Day Camps.
Her future plans are to go back to school and pursue a master’s of science degree in agricultural education and wants dispel misconceptions about the dairy industry. She would also like to return to her family’s farm and help build a lasting legacy in her community.
Ninth Colton Seals, Beaver, Ore.
Northeast Iowa Community College
Dairy Production
Coltan Seals is this year’s ninth place winner. He is the son of Tom and Jennie Seals. His Jersey herd consists of 28 cows and 34 heifers and had a 2021 herd average of 19,923 lbs. milk, 979 lbs. fat, and 734 lbs. protein on 26 records. He has participated in the National Pot O’Gold Contest four times, placing third in 2016. He has also been a part of the National Youth Production contest, placing second in 2015 and third in 2019.
Seals is a member of FFA earning his State Degree in 2021. Additionally, he placed first in the state dairy proficiency-dairy production contest and was a member of the first place Oregon state dairy judging team.
He believes profitability is one of the most important aspects of the industry. When a farmer only has a finite amount of space in the barn, it needs to go to the animals that are the most efficient.
He has sold three bulls to A.I. service: Legendairy Ariat-P, GJPI +126, JX Legendairy Moneybag {5}, GJPI +59, and Sunset Canyon Sparky Megladon, GJPI +24.
His future plans are undecided. He intends to study at a trade school or a dairy short course. He would like to return home to his family’s dairy, Legendairy Farms, and continue to develop is his herd of Registered Jersey cows.
Tenth Kylie Konyn, Escondido, Calif.
University of Wisconsin
Dairy Science and Agriculture Business Management
This year’s 10th place winner is Kylie Konyn. Her parents are Frank and Stacy Konyn. She has a Jersey herd of 30 cows and 31 heifers. She also owns 74 Holsteins. Her Jersey herd had a 2021 lactation average of 14,491 lbs. milk, 674 lbs. fat, and 530 lbs. protein on 16 records. She placed first in the California production contest three of the last four years with her cow, JX Yosemite Sully Perform 34863 {5}.
She is a nine-year junior member of the AJCA and has served as a president of the California Junior Jersey Cattle Association for three years.
An accomplished shower, Konyn has won senior showmanship at the California State Fair, the Western National Jersey Show, and the All American Junior Jersey Show.
She believes encouraging youth to be involved in the AJCA youth programs is key to helping the Jersey breed grow. She has participated in the Jersey Youth Academy and has served as the 2019 California State Jersey Queen and Western National Jersey Queen, and is the 2021 National Jersey Queen.
Konyn is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she is studying dairy science and agriculture business management. In the future, she would like to continue her education to obtain an advanced degree in dairy genetics or nutrition. She would like to help close the gap between type and production, and develop a value-added opportunity on her family’s dairy through direct marketing of their Jersey milk.
