Team title, high individual, reasons team, high reasons individual. The Pirates took all four, and every one of their counting judges finished in the top 10.
Modesto Junior College didn’t leave much on the table at the 36th International Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo. The California team won overall team with 2,265 points, 38 ahead of Cobleskill Ag & Tech. It also won the reasons team and both high individual awards.
Coach Nicole Morris brought a five-person team: Jacob Ahlem, Daniel Diniz, Breanna Souza, Riley Whisler and Joshuah Michelena. All four of Modesto’s listed judges finished in the top 10 individuals.
Diniz was high individual with 775 points, 14 ahead of Ohio State ATI’s Eric Mowrey (761). Ahlem was third, Whisler seventh and Souza tenth.
Modesto’s Daniel Diniz was high individual overall with 775 points, 14 ahead of the next judge. Photo: World Dairy Expo
Reasons was much closer. Modesto won it with 648, just three points ahead of Cobleskill’s 645, and nobody else was within 80.
Ahlem was high reasons individual with 223, followed by teammate Souza at 220. Modesto put five people in the top 10 in reasons.
Modesto’s Jacob Ahlem was high reasons individual with 223 and third overall. Photo: World Dairy Expo
Cobleskill Ag & Tech finished second overall with 2,227. SUNY Morrisville was third, followed by Ohio State ATI and Northeast Iowa Community College.
Iowa State sweeps the skills contests
Iowa State University wasn’t in the overall top five, but it won all three skills contests. It was first in practical (350), pedigree (185) and corrective mating (165). Modesto was second in all three.
Top five teams overall
| Place | School | Score | Team members | Coach |
| 1 | Modesto Junior College | 2,265 | Jacob Ahlem, Daniel Diniz, Breanna Souza, Riley Whisler | Nicole Morris |
| 2 | Cobleskill Ag & Tech | 2,227 | Hayden Ayers, Natalie Machaud, Cait O’Sullivan, Amelia Somers | Carrie Edsall |
| 3 | SUNY Morrisville | 2,106 | Hayley Brenchley, Sara Dreibelbis, Justin Krawczyk, Reilly McCullough | Chelsea Jones |
| 4 | Ohio State ATI | 2,065 | Allysa Hamilton, Micah Ackley, Eric Mowrey | Sherri Nuttle |
| 5 | Northeast Iowa Community College | 1,978 | Leo Privet, Ariana Menne, Brittany House, Kalli Tveten | Blake Courtney |
Top 10 individuals overall
- Daniel Diniz, Modesto Junior College, 775
- Eric Mowrey, Ohio State ATI, 761
- Jacob Ahlem, Modesto Junior College, 752
- Hayden Ayers, Cobleskill Ag & Tech, 750
- Sara Dreibelbis, SUNY Morrisville, 748
- Cait O’Sullivan, Cobleskill Ag & Tech, 743
- Riley Whisler, Modesto Junior College, 738
- Natalie Machaud, Cobleskill Ag & Tech, 734
- Samantha Heinzman, Kaskaskia College, 734
- Breanna Souza, Modesto Junior College, 731
Top five teams in reasons
- Modesto Junior College, 648
- Cobleskill Ag & Tech, 645
- Ohio State ATI, 565
- SUNY Morrisville, 559
- Northeast Iowa Community College, 521
Top 10 individuals in reasons
- Jacob Ahlem, Modesto Junior College, 223
- Breanna Souza, Modesto Junior College, 220
- Eric Mowrey, Ohio State ATI, 218
- Hayden Ayers, Cobleskill Ag & Tech, 218
- Natalie Machaud , Cobleskill Ag & Tech, 218
- Samantha Heinzman, Kaskaskia College, 216
- Bryce Ritter, Michigan State University Ag & Tech, 216
- Daniel Diniz, Modesto Junior College, 214
- Joshuah Michelena, Modesto Junior College, 213
- Riley Whisler, Modesto Junior College, 211
Skills contest results
| Place | Practical | Pedigree | Corrective mating |
| 1 | Iowa State University, 350 | Iowa State University, 185 | Iowa State University, 165 |
| 2 | Modesto Junior College, 328 | Modesto Junior College, 173 | Modesto Junior College, 155 |
| 3 | Southwest Technical College, 318 | Cobleskill Ag & Tech, 170 | Southwest Technical College, 150 |
| 4 | Cobleskill Ag & Tech, 315 | Southwest Technical College, 168 | Cobleskill Ag & Tech, 145 |
| 5 | Kansas State University, 288 | Ohio State ATI, 166 | Kansas State University, 135 |
The International Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest is supported by Platinum Sponsor STgenetics and Gold Sponsor Hoard’s Dairyman. Silver Sponsors are FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative, The Hartford Livestock Department, the Randy Geiger Memorial Fund, Saloah Hageman and the American Guernsey Association Youth Fund.
Additional supporters are ABS Global – St. Jacobs ABC, American Jersey Cattle Association, American Milking Shorthorn Society, Ayars Family Farm, Ayrshire Breeders Association, Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders Association, David P. Dickson Trust, Dr. Douglas Waterman, Fight Bac, Holstein Association USA, Inc., Maryland Brown Swiss Association, Judy Majeskie, National Dairy Shrine, Red & White Dairy Cattle Association, Select Sires, Inc., Semex/Boviteq, Trans Ova Genetics and Vita Plus Corporation.
