Beloit, Ohio-- The setting is Grammer Jersey Farm on April 30th and more than 200 4-H dairy youth registered from 23 counties attended a new event titled “Dairy Palooza!” It was a rare sunny day as everyone prepared for hands-on training from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Dairy leaders/advisors from the area had envisioned this event last fall and sought the assistance of Dairy Program Specialist, Bonnie Ayars.
Funded by the Ulrich 4-H Grant and the contributions of local dairy businesses, the day included six separate sessions offered to five different age divisions from Cloverbuds and Beginners to Juniors, Intermediates, and Seniors. Each of those levels was taught by an expert in the area of judging, showmanship, grooming, clipping and toplines, nutrition and fitting, plus bovine health.
Volunteer “experts” included members of the 2010 OSU Collegiate Dairy Judging Team, Dr. Todd Plocher (N.O.V.A. Vet Services), Lindsey Bowen (Hillsdale Ag Educator ), Kristin Taylor (Schirm and Farm and Westfield Insurance), Ashlee Dietz (former All American Showmanship winner and Guernsey Diary Princess), Dr. Duane Cole (dentist and cattle breeder), Derik Fauber (Heritage Cooperative), Chris Lang (Springhill Farm), Paul Haskins (Genex and Rohaven Holsteins), and John Winchell (nutritionist and fitter), Steve Myers (Holstein breeder and manager of Willoughby Supply), Todd Bricker ( Bricker Farms), and Bryan Sanor (Maple Valley Farm) handling the clippers! Assisting all these resource people and the day’s program were 14 OSU college students from the Dairy Cattle Evaluation class plus current judging team hopefuls. The American Jersey Cattle Association also set up a booth and was represented by Kate Rector who played a key role in the day’s activities.
Lunch was sponsored by N.O.V.A. and Charity Mazzaro (Cake Loft) created her usual magic with a beautifully decorated cake featuring our Palooza logo!
The day’s program concluded with a quiz bowl demonstration by some members of the national winning team last November who were also assisted by a few of their county teammates. Door prizes were presented, but everyone went home with a souvenir tshirt, a clipboard with a laser design of the logo on the back, a rope halter, and a complete notebook of resources and hand-outs printed and donated by Farm and Dairy of Salem.
Our key sponsors, the Grammers, NOVA, Farm and Dairy, along with the Ulrich 4-H grant turned this dream into reality. Everyone from ages 5 to 70 years young left with a genuine sense of accomplishment! The planning committee included Dr. Todd Plocher, Grammers, Julie Martig, Lisa and Eileen Gress, Mike Janik, Richard Owens, and Bonnie Ayars.
Our goal for 2012 is to take this same program idea to western Ohio and target all the dairy youth in that area! Plans are already being discussed.