GREENSBURG, Pa. – The youngest generation of Pennsylvania Holstein breeders earned honors at the Pa. Junior Holstein Association convention Feb. 8 in Greensburg, Pa.
Top honors. During the convention, finalists in the distinguished junior member competition were interviewed.
Lauren Nell of Gettysburg and Corbin Wood of Littlestown won the competition’s junior division.
Matthew Schantz of Alburtis and David Wilson of Port Royal won the intermediate division.
Senior finalists included: Jeff Ansell, Fayette County; Rachel Bachman, Potter County; Angie Beshore, York County; Amber Hallowell, Berks County; Amanda Myers, Perry County; and Erin Raney, Crawford County.
Bachman and Myers were selected as winners and will represent Pennsylvania in the national distinguished junior member contest at the National Holstein Convention in Omaha, Neb.
Production awards. Lifetime production awards recognize junior-owned animals that have produced at least 150,000 pounds of milk under the ownership of the junior member.
Four members’ cows were recognized: Cole McLaughlin, Perry County, for D-Lee-D Horton Morton, 155,876 pounds of milk; Greg Byham, Crawford County, Black-Pine Grand Patches, 164,641 pounds; Christy Guest, Chester County, Century-Oak Nick Gwen, 173,323 pounds; and Megan DeHart, Butler County, Pyma-View Starburst, 168,024 pounds.
Two 200,000-pound cows were also recognized: Ebon-Blanc Blackstar Tofu Ex-93, owned by Amy Hartle, Centre County; and Mil-Joy Southwind Pansy EX-90, owned by Crystal Miller, Berks County.
Progressive breeders. The association also recognized junior Progressive Breeder award recipients, for animals bred by junior members that achieve certain production levels.
Western Pa. youth earning recognition include: Juliana Hillegass, Somerset County; Greg Byham, Crawford County, two stars; Megan DeHart, Butler County, two stars; Justin London, Jefferson County; Eric Byham, Crawford County, one star.
Dairy bowl. A Lebanon County team won the senior division of the dairy bowl, defeating the second-place team from Lebanon County.
In the junior division, Centre County won the title, with Blair County finishing second.
Scholarship winners. Winners of the Pa. Holstein Youth Scholarship include:
Jeff Ansell, Fayette County, son of Larry and Susan Ansell; Rachel Bachman, Potter County, daughter of Mark and Melanie Bachman; Angie Beshore, York County, daughter of Jed and Sue Beshore; and Erin Raney, Crawford County, daughter of Jeff and Brenda Raney.
Kummer honored. Jean Kummer of Blue Bell, Pa., received the Pa. Junior Holstein PAL of the Year award.
The award is given to an adult volunteer who has helped the youth programs in the state.
Kummer, formerly of Butler County, served on the Pa. Holstein state youth committee and advised the junior Holstein club in Butler County. She served on the planning committee for the 1995 national junior Holstein convention and had judged the state speech contests, distinguished junior member contest and other competitions.
She coached the county’s dairy judging teams and also helped dairy judging youth from the western region of the state.
Kummer is a promotion specialist with the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association based in Philadelphia.
Speaking contests. Western Pennsylvania youth commanded attention in the extemporaneous and prepared public speaking contests at the convention.
In the junior division of the prepared contest, Bethany Trotter of the Beaver/Lawrence Club placed first, followed by Lauren Nell of Adams County and Ashely Stoltzfus of Somerset County.
Emily Caldwell, also of Beaver/Lawrence, won the intermediate division, followed by Abby Trotter, Beaver/Lawrence, in second; and Jenna Fox, Somerset County, third.
Rachel Bachman, Potter County, won the senior division. Kristi Guest, Chester County, placed second.
The three winners delivered their speeches to the convention delegation at the evening awards banquet.
Beaver/Lawrence club members also cleaned up in the junior division of the extemporaneous contest. Lindsey Beatty finished first, and Amanda Mitcheltree, second.
Jenna Fox won the intermediate division, followed by Carrie Wack, Beaver/Lawrence, in second and Samantha Foster, Huntington County, third.
Jeff Ansell of Fayette County won the senior division. Larry Ansell, also from Fayette County, placed second and Megan Sharp, Somerset County, third.
Photo contest. In the association’s annual photo contest, Zach Nell from Adams County won in the people category; Colin Sollenberger, Chester County, won in the animal category; and Spencer Weimer, Clarion/Venango club, won the landscape/scenery category.
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