Meetings 2026 – Highlights
Wisconsin Jersey Breeders Association
Annual Meeting
March 7, 2026 – The Lodge at Mauston, Mauston
Officers: Leah James, Mineral Point, president; Sydney Flick, Lodi, secretary/treasurer.
Members of the Wisconsin Jersey Breeders Association met for their annual meeting on March 7, 2026, at The Lodge at Mauston. Hosted by members of Parish 4, the event also featured an awards ceremony honoring senior and junior members.
Ralph Uhe of Janesville was named Wisconsin Jersey Breeder of the Year, while Ana Mikkelson of Stoughton was named Wisconsin Junior Jersey Breeder.
Dave Oberreich won the Wisconsin Distinguished Service Award. He operates Day-Kel Jerseys with his wife, Kelly, and their family in Plymouth.
Lisa Pettis of Osseo was named Wisconsin Woman of the Year. She operates Shorty’s Jerseys with her family.
Dave and Kelly Oberreich, left, receive the award for the most-improved herd in milk, fat, and protein production. D&D Jerseys, represented by Donna Phillips and Erica and Emmalee Neal-Stock, right, was the top herd for milk and fat production. Not pictured is a representative from Grass Ridge Dairy, co-winner of the top award for protein production.
Juniors earning $400 scholarships included, left to right, Ella Raatz, Georgia Goede, Hazil Luttropp and Noelle Vos.
Ella Raatz, left, and Noelle Vos were selected as Wisconsin's nominees for the National Youth Jersey Achievement Contest.
Noelle Vos, right, won the senior division of the youth achievement contest while Hazil Luttropp placed second.
Due to the depth and number of applicants in the intermediate division, the selection committee gave three awards. Pictured from left to right are Kennedy Paul, third; Benny Uhe, first and recipient of calf donated by Ela May Genetics and Kessenich Farms in memory of Ela May Hebgen; and Kenley Kessenich, second.
Juniors were also recognized for their achievements with Registered Jerseys. In the youth achievement contest, Noelle Vos, Maribel, was named winner of the senior division while Hazil Luttropp, Berlin, placed second.
In the intermediate division, Benny Uhe, Footville, took the top prize. Kenley Kessenich, de Forest, was second while Kennedy Paul, Milton, placed third.
Jacob Fischer, Owen, won the junior division and received a Jersey calf donated by Peterson Jerseys and a $50 donation in memory of Jaclyn Pettis. Kameron Moga, Spencer, placed second and received a show halter in memory of Lois Haeuser.
Scholarships were given to Georgia Goede, Genoa; Hazil Luttrop; Ella Raatz, and Noelle Vos.
For the second consecutive year, Charlie Tauchen, Cecil, received the Rainbow Dairy LLC High Protein Award with Tauchen Kiawa Enovy-P. The E-90% daughter of Ahlem Baltazar Kiawa {6}-P-ET, GJPI +49, produced a 4-2 record of 27,220 lbs. milk, 1,387 lbs. fat and 1,035 lbs. protein.
Juniors who took advantage of the cost-sharing program included Lexi Anderson, Cumberland; Ava Hebgen, de Forest; Ivy Hebgen, de Forest; Kenley Kessenich; Paisley Kessenich, de Forest; Ryker Kessenich, de Forest; Kennedy Paul; and Garrison Klinkner, Viroqua.
Cole Owens, far left, represents Owens Farms Inc. for winning the award for the top GJPI female and the high milk cow. The group representing Shot of Nat and Ela May Genetics, right, included Kenley Kessenich, Ivy Hebgen, Ryker Kessenich, Liv Hebgen and Waylon Hughes. The farm won awards for top cows in the fat, protein, cheese yield and lifetime production divisions.
Jacob Fischer was the winner in the junior division of the youth achievement contest. He received a calf donated by Peterson Jerseys and $50 in memory of Jaclyn Pettis.
Kameron Moga placed second in the junior division and received the Lois Haeuser Memorial Award.
Pictured left to right are winners of the "Give Your Best 60 Seconds" contest, including Ella Raatz, senior division; Sawyer Paul, junior division; and Ivy Hebgen and Kenley Kessenich, intermediate division. They are congratulated by 2026 Wisconsin Jersey Princess Ada Larson.
Parish production winners included, left to right, Erica Neal-Stock (Parish 8, D&D Jerseys), Cole Owens (Parish 6, Owens Farms Inc.), Natalie Kessenich (Parish 2, Kessenich Farms LLC), Jason, Brenlyn and Everlea James (Parish 3, Pine Valley Farm) and Abby Van de Ven (Parish 7, Tauchen Harmony Valley). Not pictured are winners from Parish 1 (Grass Ridge Farm), Parish 4 (Trescher Jerseys) and Parish 5 (Discovery Genetics).
Recipients of the cost-sharing program included, left to right, Ivy Hebgen, Kennedy Paul, Kenley Kessenich and Ryker Kessenich.
The high herd for milk and fat award was presented to D&D Jerseys, owned by Donna Phillips and Dan Stock of Newton. On 88 cows, D&D Jerseys has a herd average of 22,726 lbs. milk, 1,238 lbs. fat and 874 lbs. protein.
D&D Jersey tied for top herd for protein with Grass Ridge Farms LLC, owned by Matt Lippert of Pittsville. His herd average stands at 22,568 lbs. milk, 1,182 lbs. fat and 874 lbs. protein on 131 cows.
The most improved herd for milk, fat and protein production was Day-Kel Jerseys. The Oberreichs improved production in 2025 versus the previous year by 1,738 lbs. milk, 129 lbs. fat and 71 lbs. protein.
The high cow for milk for 2025 is O.F. Chrome Trinket, owned by Owens Farms Inc. of Frederic. The E-90% daughter of River Valley Cece Chrome-ET, GJPI +64, made a 4-10 record of 31,570 lbs. milk, 1,260 lbs. fat and 1,076 lbs. protein.
Stadview Colton Vintage, owned by Ela May Genetics, a partnership of Ava, Ivy and Liv Hebgen, was the state’s high cow for fat production. The E-92% daughter of Chilli Action Colton-ET, GJPI -53, made 25,390 lbs. milk, 1,750 lbs. fat and 992 lbs. protein at 3-6.
Shot of Nat LLC, de Forest, took home the prize for the top protein and cheese yield cow, JX Shot of Nat Disco 2135 {6}. The E-90% daughter of Oaklane Dazzler Disco 2127-ET, GJPI +20, produced 31,270 lbs. milk, 1,501 lbs. fat and 1,142 lbs. protein, with a cheese yield of 3,949 lbs., at 5-4.
Shot of Nat was also presented with the award for the lifetime production contest winner, High Lawn Medalist Thunderstorm-P. In 3,183 days, the E-90% daughter of Sunset Canyon Medalist-ET, GJPI +37, made 218,154 lbs. milk, 11,319 lbs. fat and 7,882 lbs. protein. She has 10 lactations—eight of them over 20,000 lbs. milk.
David Allen, Reedsburg, had the top herd for genetic merit, with a herd average Jersey Performance Index of +92 on 30 cows.
O.F. Jammer Sarah, owned by Owens Farms, was the top genetic female, with a GJPI of +183. The August 2024 heifer is sired by Cal-Mart Jammer-ET.