Wisconsin Holstein Recognizes Distinguished Junior Members

Congratulations to the following youth that will be recognized as Distinguished Junior Member award winners at the 2015 Wisconsin Junior Holstein Convention, to be held January 2-4, 2015, at the Holiday Inn in Fond du Lac, Wis.

Matthew Kramer

Matthew Kramer, 18, is the son of Leo and Chris Kramer. His family owns and operates Chrisleacres Registered Holsteins in St. Cloud. He is a senior at Campbellsport High School where he is FFA President and a National Honor Society member. Additionally, he is a member of the Fond du Lac County Dairy Committee and Junior Holstein Association Board of Directors.  Matthew enjoys showing and judging dairy cattle at county, district, state and national levels.  The highlight of his 2014 show season was being named the Supreme Dairy Showman at the Fond du Lac county Fair for the second year.

Andy Sell

Andy Sell is the 20-year-old son of Rod and Sue Sell of Watertown. He grew up on his family’s 100-cow Registered Holstein farm, Sellcrest Farm. He is currently a sophomore studying dairy science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. On campus, he is involved in the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, the Badger Dairy Club and Collegiate Farm Bureau. He is also very involved in his local and state Holstein associations and currently serves as a member of the Junior Activities Committee for the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association.

Elizabeth Sarbacker

Elizabeth Sarbacker, 19, is a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in dairy science. She is the daughter of Tom and Vicki Sarbacker. Elizabeth grew up on Fischerdale Holsteins, a 65-cow Registered Holstein farm north of Paoli in Dane County. Elizabeth earned many accomplishments this year including the James W. Crowley Award, 9^th in the WI State Fair Premier Exhibitor contest and WI State Fair Reserve Supreme Champion Show Person. She was also a member of the 4-H dairy judging team that traveled to Harrisburg, PA, to compete in the 2014 All-American Dairy Judging contest.

Carrie Warmka

Carrie Warmka, 21, is the daughter of Russ and Laura Warmka, Fox Lake. She lives on her family’s 400-cow grade and Registered Holstein dairy farm with her siblings Erik, Brad and Danielle. Carrie is currently a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she is majoring in dairy science. On campus, Carrie is involved in Badger Dairy Club, the Association of Women in Agriculture, National Agri-Marketing Association and Sigma Alpha-Alpha Tau agricultural sorority. Carrie enjoys being active through the Dodge County Junior Holstein Association, where she serves as president and is on the dairy bowl and judging teams.

Charlie Hamilton

Charlie Hamilton, 19 of Cuba City, is a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in dairy science. On campus he is a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. A member of the Grant County, Wisconsin and National Junior Holstein Associations, he currently serves as president to his county association and is a member of the Wisconsin Junior Activities Committee. Charlie is a 2014 recipient of Wisconsin State FFA Degree, and placed second in the WI State Fair Premier Exhibitor contest.  He owns 30 head of Registered Holsteins on his family’s dairy farm, Hill-Ton Holsteins, which he operates with his parents, John and Evie Hamilton.

Rachel Hartlaub

Rachel Hartlaub is the 21-year-old daughter of David and Rosemary Hartlaub from Cleveland.  She has four older sisters: Colleen, Alissa, Elizabeth and Laurie. Rachel is a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in dairy science. She is a member of the Badger Dairy Club, collegiate Farm Bureau and the Association of Women in Agriculture. Additionally, she is the storage chair for World Dairy Expo and is on the dairy judging team. She is also on the Junior Activities Committee and has held previous internships at the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin and Arethusa Farm. Rachel enjoys being active and working on her family’s farm of 50 Registered Holsteins.

Austin Nauman

Austin Nauman, 17, is the son of Danielle Nauman and Scott Stanford. A junior at Sparta High School, Austin is active in FFA, serving as the chapter president and plays on the varsity hockey team. Austin is involved in 4-H, dairy bowl and jeopardy, and dairy judging. He was chosen as a 2013 National YDJM Finalist. Austin owns 15 head of registered cattle, including 11 Jerseys, three Holsteins and one Ayrshire. He enjoys clipping and working at shows and sales and has begun working as a fitter. He also is working to develop a herd of elite individuals from which he can market animals. 

Karsen Haag

Karsen Haag attends Southwest Technical College studying agribusiness, where she is a Student Ambassador, on Student Senate, a member of PAS and dairy judging team. Karsen is active with PDPW and an assistant superintendent at the Dane County Fair. She previously served as Dane County Junior Holstein President and Holstein Queen. She exhibits and fits at various fairs, shows and World Dairy Expo. A 4-H member for 11 years, she excels in archery, dairy and foods and is also a Red and White junior member. Karsen is very active on her family’s 190-cow Registered Holstein dairy and plans to return to the dairy farm.

Kayla Krueger

Kayla Krueger is the 20-year-old daughter of Tyler and April Krueger and resides on a 350-acre dairy farm in Marion where they milk 60 Holsteins. Kayla currently attends the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she is a junior majoring in dairy science and life sciences communication. On campus, Kayla is very active in the Badger Dairy Club, serving as a World Dairy Expo Chair and Badger Invitational Sale Chair. Kayla is also serving as this year’s intern for PDPW. She shows at the district, state and national levels. Within WHA, Kayla has received DJM honors, participated in dairy bowl and received a scholarship, in addition to serving as this year’s Wisconsin Holstein Association Princess.

Lizi Endres

Lizi Endres is the 19-year-old daughter of Steve and Kathy Endres. She grew up on her family’s 350-cow Registered Holstein farm, Endres Berryridge Farms, LLC, in Waunakee. She is currently a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in dairy science. This past summer, she was accepted into the Food Animal Veterinary Medical Scholars (FAVeMedS) Program, which is an early admission program into the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. On campus, she is a member of the Association of Women in Agriculture, Badger Dairy Club, the collegiate dairy judging team, and is a research assistant in the Hernandez Laboratory, which studies metabolic factors affecting hypocalcemia.

Cassie Endres

Cassie Endres is the 21-year-old daughter of Steve and Kathy Endres. Cassie grew upon her family’s 350-cow Registered Holstein farm, Endres Berryridge Farms, LLC. Currently, she is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in dairy science and life sciences communication. On campus, she is a member of the Badger Dairy Club and the Association of Women in Agriculture. This year at the National Intercollegiate Dairy Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo, Cassie was high individual in oral reasons and a member of the winning team from UW- Madison.

Ryan Pralle

Ryan Pralle is the 21-year-old son of Scott Pralle and Pam Selz-Pralle. He grew up on a 400-cow dairy farm in Humbird. A UW-Madison senior majoring in dairy science, Ryan plans to obtain a PhD in nutrition genomics. This past summer he received the Farrington Award, which supplied grant money for Ryan to execute his own research project under the supervision of Heather White, P.D. He also works as a research assistant performing a wide range of duties on the USDA Feed Efficiency project. Ryan was honored as a National Distinguished Junior Member Finalist during the National Holstein Convention in Dubuque, IA.

Jessica Pralle

Jessica Pralle, 19, is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in dairy science. On campus, she is active in the Badger Dairy Club, Wisconsin Women for Agriculture, Collegiate Farm Bureau and NAMA. Jessica earned many accomplishments this year including the John Klossner Award for placing first in the WI State Fairy Premier Exhibitor contest. She also competed on Team Wisconsin at the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest in Louisville, KY, placing second team and earning 9^th high individual overall honors. Jessica grew up on Selz-Pralle Dairy, a 400-cow Registered Holstein farm in Humbird. Jessica is the daughter of Scott & Pam Selz-Pralle.

Cassy Krull

Cassandra "Cassy" Krull is the 21-year-old daughter of Cindy Krull and the late Brian Krull, and sister to Bryce and Carley. Cassy has been raised on her family's 50-cow Registered Holstein farm, Krull Farms in Lake Mills, WI. Cassy is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville majoring in animal science with a dairy emphasis. In the future Cassy hopes to continue her involvement with the WI Holstein Association and one day own and operate her own dairy farm.