WHA Recognizes Young Distinguished Junior Member Recipients

This year's Young Distinguished Junior Member recipients are listed below. This award recognizes outstanding youth in Wisconsin between the ages of 9-16 in the year of application. These youth will be recognized at the annual Wisconsin Junior Holstein Convention, to be held January 3-5, 2014, at Glacier Canyon Lodge in Wisconsin Dells.  

Rachel Coyne

Rachel Coyne is the 16-year-old daughter of Peter and Lisa Coyne of Spring Valley. She has been active in the WI Junior Holstein Association for the past seven years, participating in dairy quiz bowl, jeopardy, photography, and showing at district, state and national Holstein shows. Rachel has had judging success, placing in the top 10 at many contests. She also enjoys school activities, her friends, dance, playing basketball, running cross-country and track. She is very active in 4-H and FFA. Rachel and her brothers, Brian and William, own a small quality herd of Registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss cattle, which she manages and cares for on a daily basis.

Adam Field

Adam Field is the 15-year-old son of Jim & Teresa Field. His home farm, Shea-Hi Holsteins, currently milks 52 cows. Along with his duties on the farm, he is also employed at Spring Valley Farms. He enjoys showing and fitting cattle as well as helping younger members become involved with dairy projects. He is the current president of the District 5 Junior Holsteins group and is active in the Reedsburg FFA and Endeavor 4-H club, where he serves as president. He enjoys deer and turkey hunting in his spare time. 

Kalista Hodorff

Kalista Hodorff is the 14-year-old daughter of Corey and Tammy Hodorff of Eden. She is in the ninth grade at Campbellsport High School and is a member of the Armstrong 4-H Club, Fond du Lac County Junior Holsteins, Tabor UMC youth group and Campbellsport FFA. She enjoys playing soccer, basketball, volleyball and track, is an assistant youth soccer coach, and teaches Sunday school. Kalista and her three sisters, Kayli, Kaianne and Kaydence are all involved on their family’s dairy farm, Second Look Holsteins, LLC.

Sierra Huser

Sierra Huser is the 16-year-old daughter of Dave and Adele Huser of Vesper. She resides at Honeyview Century Farm with her parents and two older brothers, Dustin and Nate. Sierra is currently a junior at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids. She is active in forensics, orchestra and is a member of the FFA.  She plays violin in the orchestra and is an honor roll student. Sierra is involved in Snyder 4-H serving as past secretary and the Wood County Junior Holstein organization serving as the current vice-president.  She is involved in dairy bowl and jeopardy, and enjoys hunting, showing cattle and music.

Carley Krull

Carley Krull is the 16-year-old daughter of Cindy Krull and the late Brian Krull of Lake Mills. She lives on her family’s farm with her mom Cindy, sister Cassy and brother Bryce. The farm consists of 45 Registered Holstein cows. Carley is a sophomore at Lake Mills High School where she is in the Lake Mills FFA, a class officer, and is in music, basketball and softball. She is also involved in 4-H where she is a member of the Jefferson County judging team and state qualifier. Carley has been heavily involved in Junior Holstein. She enjoys showing her cattle at county, district, state and national levels with her family and friends.

Rachel McCullough

Rachel McCullough is the 14-year-old daughter of Chris and Kathie McCullough of Juda. She has a brother, Mac, and is in the eighth grade at Juda Public School. She is a member of the Spring Grove Honest Workers 4-H Club and Green County Junior Holsteins. She enjoys showing at county, district, state and national shows and likes attending shows and sales with her dad. Rachel owns five head of Registered Holsteins.

Michael Moede

Michael Moede is the 15-year-old son of Rob and Debbie Moede. They, along with younger sister Megan, reside on an 80-acre farm near Algoma in Kewaunee County. Michael is a sophomore at Algoma High School where he is a member of the Algoma FFA, basketball and baseball teams, and an honor roll student. He enjoys attending Packer games, hunting, and in the summer months, enjoys showing cattle.

Megan Nelson

Megan Nelson is the 15-year-old daughter of Richard Nelson and Ruthann Anderson, Ettrick, and has a younger brother, AJ. She is a sophomore at Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School where she plays softball and is active in FFA and choir. She currently helps her grandparents on their 500-acre Registered Holstein farm. Megan is president of the Trempealeau County Junior Holstein Club and also a member of the Glasgow-Hardies Creek Busy Bees 4-H club. She owns 15 Registered Holsteins and has been showing for seven years at county, district, state and national shows. In her free time, she enjoys helping other dairyman with their show strings and spending time with her friends.

Dawson Nickels

Dawson Nickels is the 14-year-old son of Tom and Penni Nickels. His family lives on a farm near Watertown in Dodge County. He is the sixth generation living on the farm. Dawson attends Watertown Public High School as a ninth grader, where he is on the high honor roll and involved in FFA. He is active in the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association, a junior member of the Red and White Holstein Association, 4-H, dairy judging, dairy bowl, showmanship contests and showing dairy cattle. He and his sister Kylie are currently building their own herd under the Dreamfix Holsteins prefix.

Nicole Pralle

Nicole Pralle is the 16-year-old daughter of Scott Pralle and Pam Selz-Pralle, Humbird, where they milk 425 Registered Holsteins. A junior at Osseo-Fairchild High School, she plays volleyball and basketball and is active in FFA, FBLA and Honor Society. Nicole is vice-president of the Clark County Junior Holstein club, secretary of her FFA chapter, and president of her 4-H club. Nicole takes pride in showing her Holsteins.  She was named the Reserve Supreme Champion at the Clark County Fair and Honorable Mention Supreme Showman at the WI State Fair in 2012. At the 2013 Area Animal Science Days, she placed 10^th high individual in dairy judging.

Lindsey Sarbacker

Lindsey Sarbacker is the 14-year-old daughter of David and Candi Sarbacker. Along with her siblings Ashlyn and Cole, they reside at Floydholm, an 80-acre farm near Edgerton where they house show heifers. Lindsey is a freshman at Stoughton High School and is part of the Student Senate. She is involved with the Dane County junior team for dairy quiz bowl and dairy judging. She also serves as reporter for the Dane County Jr. Holstein Breeders and club secretary of the Triangle Troopers 4-H club.  She enjoys showing multiple breeds of cattle at local, district, state and national events.

Brooke Trustem

Brooke Trustem is the 15-year-old daughter of Sandy Larson and Jim Trustem. She is a freshman at Evansville High School and has two brothers, Dane and Luke. Brooke and her extended family farm together at Larson Acres, Inc. She has been showing cattle since she was five years old and her daily responsibilities include caring for the show and sale cattle. Other duties include assisting the herdsman and working with the calves. Brooke is a member of the Magnolia 4-H Club and St. Paul’s Catholic Church. Her other interests include basketball, swimming and being with friends.

WHA Recognizes 12 and Under Award Recipients

Congratulations to the following youth that will be recognized as 12 & Under award winners at the 2014 Wisconsin Junior Holstein Convention, to be held January 3-5, 2014, at Glacier Canyon Lodge in Wisconsin Dells.

Ava Booth

Ava Booth is the 9-year-old daughter of Dr. Chris and Courtney Booth. Ava, her parents and siblings Campbell, Royce and Cole own and operate Booth-Haven Holsteins, a small show heifer and cow care operation in Plymouth. Ava loves showing dairy cattle, helping with the show string and dairy judging.  This past show season Ava worked hard to present the Junior All-Wisconsin Red & White Winter Calf and 2012 Reserve Junior All-Wisconsin Spring Calf. She also exhibited the 2013 Junior Champion at the Sheboygan County Fair and won Overall Supreme Champion Show person her first year.

Cole Booth

Cole Booth is the 11-year-old son of Dr. Chris and Courtney Booth of Plymouth. Cole along with his parents and siblings Ava, Campbell and Royce own and operate Booth-Haven Holsteins, a small show heifer and cow care operation. Cole enjoys showing dairy cattle, fitting and dairy judging. He was honored to win the 2012 and 2011 World Dairy Expo Junior Division Showmanship Contest and the 2013 State Showmanship Junior Division Contest. Cole exhibited the 2012 Reserve Junior All-American Red & White Fall Yearling and 2013 Junior All-Wisconsin Spring Yearling.

Elise Bleck

Elise Bleck is the 12-year-old daughter of Dr. Jeff and Dr. Lea Ann Bleck of Glenbeulah located in Sheboygan County. She and younger brother Brady live on the family farm where she raises her Holstein and Brown Swiss show cattle. Elise is a member of the Sheboygan County Junior Holstein Association, Wisconsin Junior Brown Swiss Association, Spring Valley 4-H Club and Good Shepard Lutheran Church.  Elise participates in dairy quiz bowl and dairy judging contests. She really enjoys showing her animals and was the first place junior showperson at the 2013 National Brown Swiss Junior Heifer Show. She also plays basketball, softball and enjoys swimming.

Colton Brandel

Colton Brandel is the nine-year-old son of Matthew and Tracy Brandel. Colton has two younger sisters, Ashley and Katie, and a little brother, Justin. His family is partners in Straussdale Holsteins LLC, located in Lake Mills, where they milk 225 Registered Holsteins. Colton is a third grader at Prospect Elementary School and is active in the South Side Eagles 4-H Club. He has attended Cow Camp and enjoys exhibiting cattle at the Jefferson County Fair. He loves dairy cattle and all aspects of farming. Colton enjoys playing football, wrestling, archery and volunteering at various dairy promotion activities in his community.

Madison Calvert

Madison Calvert is 11 years old and lives in Cuba City with her parents Bill and Kelle, brother Payton and twin sister McKenzie as well as a Bernese mountain dog, Aspen and a black lab, Dora. Her family resides on a 426-acre dairy farm with a herd of 75 Registered Holsteins. She is a sixth grader at St. Rose of Lima School, a member of the Lafayette County Junior Holsteins, and is currently serving as the co-reporter of her group. Besides the farm, she is also active in basketball, volleyball, softball, Cuba City Merry Mixers and St. Rose Youth Choir.

McKenzie Calvert

McKenzie Calvert, the 11-year-old daughter of Bill and Kelle Calvert, resides on a 426-acre dairy farm in Cuba City with her brother Payton, twin sister Madison, and dogs, Aspen and Dora. They milk 80 Registered Holsteins and when she is not working on the farm, she is active in the Cuba City Merry Mixers 4-H, Lafayette County Jr. Holsteins, showing, volleyball, softball and basketball, as well as St. Rose youth choir.

Hunter Crowley

Hunter Crowley is the 11-year-old son of Patrick and Jennifer Crowley of Omro. He attends Omro Middle School where he is currently in 6^th grade. He enjoys playing football, basketball, soccer, piano and percussion in the school band. He is an active member in the Plain V-U 4-Dairy Club, Winnebago County Jr. Holstein Association, boy scouts, dairy judging team and dairy bowl team. Hunter currently owns one Registered Holstein and shows many others at the county and district levels. He is looking forward to adding more animals to his herd in the future.

Emma Dorshorst

Emma Dorshorst is the 10-year-old daughter of Dr. Matthew and Molly Dorshorst. She lives on a 60-cow Registered Holstein farm with her sisters Sara and Claire and brother Wyatt. She is active at Bethany Lutheran Church, Badger 4-H Club, plays softball and basketball. She also enjoys voice and piano lessons and horse riding. She has three Registered Holsteins and has enjoyed showing them at county and district shows. Emma enjoys milking the cows with her father the most. She says the worst job on the farm is hauling water to the calves with her mom. Emma wants to combine her love of cows and science when she grows up. 

Tyler Giddings

Tyler Giddings is 11 years old and resides in Hatley, where he is in 6^th grade at Wittenberg Middle School.  He is a member of the Marathon County Junior Holstein Association. He loves to show his calves and help his aunt and uncle, Don and Jenna Fahey, on the Dream Team Holstein farm. Tyler is proud of owning eight Registered Holsteins. In addition to his Holstein activities he enjoys hunting, is active in the Badger 4-H club, local bowling leagues and the Wittenberg Middle School cross country team.

Hannah Hockerman

Hannah Hockerman is the 11-year-old daughter of Greg and Dawn Hockerman and lives on the Hockerman Brothers Dairy farm in Westfield with her two younger brothers, where they milk 375 cows three times a day. She enjoys showing halter braking calves, softball and milking cows. She is a member of the Honor Roll Club 501, Student Council, Springfield Funrunners 4-H Club and District 5 Junior Holstein Association.

Kaianne Hodorff

Kaianne Hodorff is the 12-year-old daughter of Corey and Tammy Hodorff of Eden. She is a member of the Armstrong 4-H, Campbellsport FFA, Tabor UMC Youth Group and the Junior Holstein Association.  She is a seventh grader at Campbellsport Junior High School, where she is in band and chorus. She participates in basketball, soccer, volleyball and track and helps with Vacation Bible School and Sunday school. Kaianne has three sisters, Kayli, Kalista and Kaydence, who are also involved on their family’s dairy farm, Second Look Holsteins, LLC.

Kaydence Hodorff

Kaydence Hodorff is the 8-year-old daughter of Corey and Tammy Hodorff. She is in second grade at Eden Elementary School and is a member of the Armstrong 4-H Club and the Junior Holstein Association.  She has attended Cow Camp and basketball camp and enjoys playing soccer. Kaydence has three sisters, Kayli, Kalista and Kaianne, who are all involved with their family’s dairy farm, Second Look Holsteins, LLC.

Brian McCullough

Brian McCullough is the 12-year-old son of Chris and Kathie McCullough from Juda and has a sister named Rachel. Brian is in sixth grade at Juda School, a member of the Spring Grove Honest Workers 4-H Club and Green County Junior Holsteins. He enjoys showing at Green County Fair, Dairy Day, District and Championship shows. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, wrestling and playing flag football. Brian currently owns two Registered Holsteins.

Megan Moede

Megan Moede is the 11-year-old daughter of Rob and Debbie Moede. She has an older brother Michael and the family resides on an 80-acre farm near Algoma in Kewaunee County. She is in sixth grade at St. Mary’s School in Algoma.  Megan enjoys the St. Mary’s Destination Imagination program and has done very well at the regional, state and global competitions. She is a member of the Algoma girls’ basketball and softball teams. She enjoys showing and judging Holstein and Jersey dairy cattle at county, district and state events.

Kylie Nickels

Kylie Nickels is the 12-year-old daughter of Tom and Penni Nickels. She is the sixth generation to live on the family farm, located in Dodge County. Kylie is in seventh grade at St. Mark’s Lutheran School in Watertown where she is on high honor roll and a member of the school choir. She is very active in the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association, a junior member of the Red and White Holstein Association, Richwood Ranger 4-H, dairy judging, dairy bowl, showmanship contests, and showing dairy cattle. Kylie and her older brother Dawson are currently building their own herd under the Dreamfix Holstein prefix.

Drew Noble

Drew Noble is the 11-year-old son of Troy and Jaime Noble. Along with his sisters Ainsley & Macie, he lives on a dairy, beef & crop farm in Lancaster, where his family farms 1000 acres and milks 160 Registered Holsteins. Drew is in 6^th grade at Platteville Middle School where he plays baseball and basketball. He is a member of the Grant County Junior Holstein Association and Dairyland Diamonds 4-H Club, and has participated in various showing, judging and dairy bowl competitions.

Samantha Pitterle

Samantha Pitterle is a 12-year-old who lives in Beaver Dam with her parents Mark and Val Pitterle and younger brother Sawyer. She is a sixth grader at St. John’s Lutheran School in Juneau and is active in soccer, volleyball, cross-country, basketball and softball. She is currently the Secretary of her 4-H club and enjoys dairy bowl and dairy judging.

Clarissa Ulness

Clarissa Unless is the 9-year-old daughter of Mark and Angie Ulness. Clarissa calls Ragnar Holsteins, a 76-cow Registered Holstein farm in Valders, home. She has two brothers, Garrett and Walker, and a sister, Whitney. Clarissa enjoys dairy judging, dairy bowl and showing. She likes being involved in Junior Holstein because she is able to learn new things and make new friends. This year was her first year showing in 4-H and she was proud to win showmanship at her county fair. Clarissa is a fourth grader at Valders Elementary, a member of the Liberty Go-Getters 4-H club and enjoys playing piano. 

Young Adult Education Award Spotlight - Erik Gilbertson

The Wisconsin Holstein Association and the Young Adult Committee are excited to again offer 4, $500 awards for Wisconsin Holstein members to attend an educational event. These events include, but are not limited to: Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI), World Dairy Expo, World Ag Expo, PDPW, and the National Holstein Convention.

Last year's winner, Erik Gilbertson, shared his experience with the opportunity that this award provided him below.

Tell a little about yourself, such as, your family, current employment and when you joined the Wisconsin Holstein Association.

I own and operate Gildale Holsteins with my family in Hollandale, which is in Iowa County. My wife, Brenda, and I have two daughters, Makenna (almost 3 years old) and Elise (3 months old).  My father, Mark, also plays an active role at Gildale. 

Why did you complete the YAC Educational Award application?

As a young farmer, it's important to stay educated and attend industry events. Taking time away from the farm to learn from others is valuable and then can apply those new things to your own dairy.  

What dairy industry event did you attend? What did you learn from the event?

I attended the PDPW Annual Business Conference in Madison. Between the trade show and break-out sessions, I enjoyed connecting with other dairy breeders and also learning ideas to apply to my own operation. In particular, the calf-raising session was very informative.

What is your favorite Wisconsin Holstein or dairy industry event and explain why?

World Dairy Expo is one of my favorite events because it combines great cows and great people. We are also fortunate that it is held in our backyard and have the opportunity to attend since it is so close to home. 

What has been your most memorable moment in the dairy industry? 

I am proud that my wife, Brenda, and I met at World Dairy Expo. Since both of us grew up in the Registered Holstein business, it's very fitting to celebrate our anniversary there at an event which is very special to us. 

Would you recommend other complete the YAC Educational Award application?
Young farmers should take advantage of every opportunity to grow. The YAC program is a great chance to connect with others and also encourages time away from the farm which is something that not many, including myself do often.

Applicants for this award must be a member in good standing of the Wisconsin Holstein Association at the time of application. Applicants should indicate on this application which program or event the award will be used for. For programs such as YDLI, proof of acceptance must be provided. Award can only be received once per individual. Young Distinguished Breeder Award recipients are not eligible as they will have already received a $500 YAC sponsored award. If an award is given and the recipient is unable to attend or does not fulfill the program requirements, the individual is expected to return the funds to the Young Adult Committee. This award is intended for those whose main source of income is from the farm. Applicant should be age 21 to 45 as of January 1, 2013.