339 youth. Three divisions. And one Lake Mills teenager who walked out $5,000 richer.
Saturday’s Youth Showmanship Contest at World Dairy Expo drew 339 young exhibitors onto the colored shavings. When the halters came off, Wisconsin owned the day.
Justin Brandel of Lake Mills, Wis., won the Intermediate Division and then beat the other top showmen for the Annette Ostrom Memorial Supreme Showman title. He took home $5,000 in cash, a crystal trophy, a custom embroidered jacket and a new set of clippers. Not a bad Saturday.
Right behind him was Logan Harbaugh of Marion, Wis. He won a 126-head Senior Division and then earned Reserve Supreme Showman. That made it an all-Wisconsin sweep of the top two spots.
The division winners
- Junior (101 entries): Raegan Bossard of Fabius, N.Y., topped a class of 101 under judge Crystal Sinn of Sherburn, Minn. Brynley Bossard, also from Fabius, finished third, so it was a big day for the Bossard name.
- Intermediate (112 entries): Brandel won the biggest middle division in the barn under judge Josh Karn of Woodstock, Ontario, and went on to take the Supreme title.
- Senior (126 entries): Harbaugh topped the largest division of the day under judge Elizabeth Hall of East Montpelier, Vt.
Wisconsin’s depth was hard to miss. Badger State youth filled 25 of the 45 top-15 placings, including 11 of the 15 Intermediate spots. New York showed up strong too, with three in the Junior top 15 and five in the Senior top 15.
The awards
Each division winner received a custom embroidered jacket from Images Custom Embroidery. The jackets honor W. Terry Howard (Junior), Howard Voegeli (Intermediate) and Keith King (Senior). Each winner also got clippers from Andis Company and the Annette Ostrom Showmanship First Place Award of $1,500.
Second-place finishers each took home $750 from the Ostrom family. The first- and second-place showmen from each division then competed for Supreme honors. The Supreme Showman won $3,500 and the Reserve won $1,500.
The top 15 in each division received neck ribbons and medallions in memory of Katie Coyne, presented by Mill Wheel Show Clinics. Zoetis, ABS Global and the Michael Hellenbrand Memorial Fund, Inc. also supported the contest.
A big thank-you goes to the Ostrom family. Their support for youth showmanship at Expo is hard to top.
Top 15 placings
Junior (ages 9–13)
- Raegan Bossard, Fabius, N.Y.
- Cooper Merrill, Seneca Falls, N.Y.
- Brynley Bossard, Fabius, N.Y.
- Kinley Martin, Tulare, Calif.
- Adella Loehr, Eden, Wis.
- Paige Zimmerman, Brodhead, Wis.
- Ainsley Loehr, Eden, Wis.
- Lily Barlass, Sheboygan Falls, Wis.
- Callie Krohlow, Poynette, Wis.
- Clara Baker, Scottdale, Pa.
- Walker Ulness, Valders, Wis.
- Sadie Kropf, Whitewater, Wis.
- Siera McCullough, Juda, Wis.
- Dakota Voegeli-Paulson, Arlington, Wis.
- Avery Kaufman, Berlin, Pa.
Intermediate (ages 14–16)
- Justin Brandel, Lake Mills, Wis.
- Karile Supplee, Chambersburg, Pa.
- Emily Nooyen, Bonduel, Wis.
- Molly Salentine, Luxemburg, Wis.
- William Zimmerman, Brodhead, Wis.
- Madison Harbaugh, Marion, Wis.
- Madison Sarbacker, Whitewater, Wis.
- Griffin Grinstead, Fond du Lac, Wis.
- Chance Primmer, Bagley, Wis.
- Bentley Brantmeier, Hilbert, Wis.
- Lilah Utterback, Jefferson, Md.
- Carson Rauen, Blairstown, Iowa
- Madelyn Poitras, Brimfield, Mass.
- Tyler Butts, Evansville, Wis.
- Leah Smith, Watertown, Wis.
Senior (ages 17–21)
- Logan Harbaugh, Marion, Wis.
- Shelby Swanson, Hutchinson, Minn.
- Mason Ziemba, Durhamville, N.Y.
- Suton Paulson, Rockford, Ill.
- Taylor Hodge, Norwich, N.Y.
- Charlotte Meyer, Corfu, N.Y.
- Tessa Schmocker, Whitewater, Wis.
- Isaac Folts, North Collins, N.Y.
- Olivia Vanevera, Cobleskill, N.Y.
- Cameron Ryan, Fond du Lac, Wis.
- Carissa Pittman, West Salem, Ohio
- Sarah Hill, New Haven, Conn.
- Hannah Visser, Hutchinson, Minn.
- Stella Schmocker, Whitewater, Wis.
- Caroline Anderson, Fort Atkinson, Wis.
