Quality ran deep in the Jersey show, and Judge Michael Heath and his associate, Wayne Stiles, both of Westminister, Md., were tasked with sorting through the 418 entries that walked on the colored shavings. Heath's enthusiasm for judging and show cattle rubbed off on the crowd, and the audience gave an enthusiastic round of applause when he named Musqie Iatola Martha-ET as Grand Champion.
The 4-year-old is owned by Shelby Ostrom of Kaukauna, Wis. She was also named Senior Grand Champion. The Reserve Grand Champion was the Intermediate Champion cow, Payneside Mac N Cheese, exhibited by Arethusa Farm LLC, from Litchfield, Conn. She was the winner of the Senior 2-Year-Old class.
TJ Classic Minister Venus-ET, exhibited by Ben, Andy, Blessing and Grace Sauder of River Valley Farm from Tremont, Ill., was Reserve Senior Champion. Reserve Intermediate Champion was Chilli Premier Cinema-ET, owned by Ernest Kueffner and Terri Packard of Boonsboro, Md.
The Junior Champion was the winning spring yearling, Oat Hill Gunman Nina-ET, owned by Westcoast Holsteins from Chilliwack, British Columbia. Discoverys Hired Jynx, a summer yearling exhibited by D. Cole, B.C.M., and M. Mazzaro, and C. Beinhardt of Williamsfield, Ohio, was named Reserve Junior Champion.
There were 89 entries in the Junior Jersey Show. For the second year in a row, Willdina Jade Bee, also exhibited by Ben, Andy, Blessing, and Grace Sauder of River Valley Farm, was named Grand Champion of the Junior Show. Judge Heath commented that she had "such a striking presence about her." Underground L-Mamie Lola, also owned by River Valley Farm, was Reserve Champion.
Meadowridge Gentry Angie, exhibited by Roger Riebe and Alleah Anderson of Cumberland, Wis., was Junior Champion of the Junior Show, while Maughlin Tequilla Chloe, owned by D. Cole, E. Sharp, and B.C.M., and M. Mazzaro of Williamsfield, Ohio, was Reserve Junior Champion.
Avonlea Koffeetime At Arcadia-ET, exhibited by Avonlea Genetics & Arcadia Farms, Brighton, Ontario, won the 2015 World Dairy Expo International Jersey Futurity. Tower Vue Prime Tequila-ET was the Premier Sire.
The Sauder family of River Valley Farm, Tremont, Ill., was named Premier Exhibitor. Arethusa Farm, Litchfield, Conn., earned the purple Premier Breeder banner, and Maryland had the winning State Herd.
The author is an associate editor and covers animal health, dairy housing and equipment, and nutrient management. She grew up on a dairy farm near Plymouth, Wis., and previously served as a University of Wisconsin agricultural extension agent. She received a master's degree from North Carolina State University and a bachelor's from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
