Eight individuals got the nod to place the 14 open and junior shows during the All-American Dairy Show, set for Sept. 15-20, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.
Mike Berry of Albany, Ore., is slated to place the Premier National Junior Jersey Show on Monday, Sept. 17, and the All-American Red and White Show on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Berry’s farm is Robinhood Holsteins and Jerseys, with 100 head and many owned In partnerships. He has worked with class winners of all breeds at World Dairy Expo, and has bred, owned and sold several All-American Jerseys, Holsteins and Red and Whites. Berry has officiated the Jersey Jug and the Junior and open Jersey shows at the North American International Livestock Expo in Louisville, Ky. He also placed the Jerseys at World Dairy Expo, the Wisconsin Holstein Championship Show, British Columbia Spring Holstein Show, and will judge Jerseys at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, Canada.
Gerrit DeBruin of Lake Mills, Wis., will place the All-American Brown Swiss Show on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 19-20. DeBruin along with wife Lorrie and three children own Just So Farm, an elite herd of Brown Swiss, and have bred, owned and developed numerous All-American nominees. The DeBruins also own Prescription Premix, an independent dairy nutrition consulting business with clients throughout Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. He has served as associate Brown Swiss judge at the 2007 World Dairy Expo, judged the Southeast National Brown Swiss Show in Louisville, Ky., in 2016, and numerous state, national and international shows. DeBruin has been an official in the National Collegiate Judging Contest for 10 years, and coached 10 different state champion 4-H and FFA judging teams.
Yan Jacobs of Cap-Santa, Quebec, Canada, will place the Premier National Junior Guernsey Show on Monday, Sept. 17, and the Eastern National Holstein Show on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 19-20. Jacobs owns Jacobs Farm with father Jean and sister Ysabel, where they milk 215 cows. Jacobs Farm has earned Premier Breeder banners six times at World Dairy Expo and six times at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, and have garnered 86 All-Canadian and 53 All-American nominations. Jacobs has judged in several different countries, in addition to several U.S. state shows, county shows in Quebec, and served as associate Holstein judge at the 2016 World Dairy Expo.
Matt Lawrence of Mercer, Pa., will officiate the Premier National Junior Brown Swiss Show on Monday, Sept. 17, and the All-American Guernsey Show on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Lawrence farms with his father and brother where they raise beef cattle and a small group of Holstein, Brown Swiss, Jersey and Milking Shorthorn show heifers. Employed by the Holstein Association USA as a Regional Sales Representative, Lawrence covers northern Pennsylvania and western New York. He has judged several local, state and national shows, including the All-American Red and White Show.
Jason Lloyd of Middleburgh, N.Y., will place the Premier National Junior Red and White Show on Monday, Sept. 17, and the All-American Milking Shorthorn Show on Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 18-19. Lloyd owns Maple Downs Farms II, LLC, with parents David and Denise. The 150-cow dairy operation merchandises quality milk, feed and genetics.
The Lloyds also crop 1,000 acres where they grow corn, soybeans and hay. Lloyd has judged internationally in Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Peru, in addition the New York State Holstein Show, Florida State Holstein and Jersey shows, the Fall National Milking Shorthorn Show at the Big E in New England, the Iowa Holstein Show.
Jack Lomeo of Sylvan Beach, N.Y., will officiate the Premier National Junior Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn shows on Monday, Sept. 17. Lomeo has owned many All-Canadian and All American animals in multiple breeds, including Holsteins, Red and Whites, Jerseys and Milking Shorthorns. He has judged several breeds across North America including Maine, Vermont, New York, and the Big E in New England, in addition to the Belleville Regional Jersey Show, Stratford Jersey Show and Trois Rivere Holstein Show. He also served as lead and associate judge of the Milking Shorthorn Shows at World Dairy Expo, and this year will place classes in New York, Ontario, Brazil and at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.
Molly Sloan of Columbus, Wis., returns to Harrisburg to judge the Premier National Junior Holstein Show on Monday, Sept. 17, and the All-American Ayrshire Show on Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 18-19. Sloan has worked for Alta Genetics for 12 years, and currently serves as Global Training Program Manager. She has judged major shows in 15 states and has been a lead judge twice at World Dairy Expo for the International Ayrshire Show and the International Junior Holstein Show. Sloan has also judged internationally at major shows in Australia, Brazil, France, Peru and Canada, including the National Canadian 4-H Classic at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. She has also been on numerous All-American and All-Canadian judges’ panels for six major breeds. She and husband Matt have one son, Dane.
Steve Wagner of Richford, Vt., will place the Jersey Show at the All-American on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 19-20. Currently the manager of the Abbot’s Border- view Genetics, Wagner is native of Quarryville, Pa., where he was a partner with his parents on Bo Joy/Graystone Farm. The Wagners, who dispersed their herd in 2017, bred 97 Excellent cows and received 49 All-American nominations in the Brown Swiss and Red and White breeds.
Wagner has judged more than 150 shows on the East Coast, including state shows in Maryland, New York, Kentucky and Wisconsin. He also judged the Southeastern National Brown Swiss Show, and was associate judge for the All-American Brown Swiss Show.
The All-American Dairy Show features 22 shows in six days in addition to the nation’s only all dairy antiques show. Last year’s show featured nearly 3,000 animals and 1,500 exhibitors from around the country.
