Posted: October 5, 2017
Penn State students placed first overall at the contest held as part of World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI, and were fifth high in reasons.
Penn State's winning dairy judging team, from left: Dylan Dietz, Abigail Jantzi, Emma Brenengen, Emily Heilinger and Coach Dale Olver. Photo by Agri-Graphics
Penn State's collegiate dairy judging team took first place at the National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held as part of the World Dairy Expo, Madison, WI last week. Dylan Dietz, McVeytown, PA, earned third high individual honors, while Emma Brenengen, Middletown, MD, was fourth high individual. Other team members were Abigail Jantzi, Clymer, NY, eighth overall individual and ninth in reasons, and Emily Heilinger, Lebanon, PA. The team was coached by Dale Olver, instructor of dairy and animal science.
Consistency was the key to their win, with the team placing in the top ten for all seven breeds and for reasons. They were first for Guernseys; second for Red and Whites; fourth for Ayrshires, Brown Swiss, and Jerseys; fifth for oral reasons; sixth for Holsteins; and tenth for Milking Shorthorns.
Individually, Dietz was high Guernsey individual and ranked seventh for Ayrshires. Brenengen was second in Jerseys, fourth in Red and Whites, and ninth in Guernseys; Jantzi placed fifth for Guernseys and Red and Whites and ranked ninth in Ayrshires.
Dr. Terry Etherton, Head of the Department of Dairy Science, said, "I offer heartfelt congratulations to the team for this outstanding success at the national level. Members of the team worked exceptionally hard to achieve this honor, and their coach Dale Olver and others deserve credit for preparing them so effectively."
Olver said, "I am proud of the accomplishments of this team. The four team members made great efforts to improve throughout the judging season, worked well together, and supported each other as teammates."
In a post-award video prepared by Hoard's Dairyman magazine, each of the members expressed appreciation to all those who helped prepare them for the contest, including dairy farmers who hosted practices, current and previous coaches, family members, alumni, and fellow students. They also thanked the College of Agricultural Sciences for the support it provides to judging teams and activities.
Cornell University was second team overall, followed by South Dakota State University, third; Virginia Tech, fourth and The Ohio State University, fifth.
