FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Dave Fischer
August 21, 2012 Extension Dairy Educator, retired
618-224-7951
e-mail:
2012 Superior Young Dairy Producer Award Winners
The 2012 Superior Young Dairy Producer Award (SYDPA) program was held August 18, at the Illinois State Fair. Twenty 4-H and FFA dairy project members from across Illinois took part in the event. The purpose of the contest is to create an educational activity that promotes youth development, career development, and personal growth through increased knowledge of the dairy industry. This three-phase competition, emphasizing the youth’s knowledge of the dairy industry, awarded each of the top five overall participants with a $1,000 scholarship. The 2012 scholarship recipients were: Carol Baumann, Wyoming, IL (Stark County), Anna Folgate, Dakota, IL (Stephenson County), Kaleb Hoerbert, Delavan, IL (Logan County), Todd Irwin, Beason, IL (Logan County), and Daniel Obert, Orangeville, IL (Stephenson County).
The $5,000 in scholarships was sponsored by Archer Daniels Midland, Decatur, IL. Individual plaques were awarded to the “top 3” in each phase and the “top 5” overall winners. The Land of Lincoln Purebred Livestock Breeders Association and Illinois State Fair sponsored the plaques.
The first phase was a dairy management test relating to dairy nutrition, health, reproduction, milk marketing, and other dairy related information. Top three contestants for this phase were: Anna Folgate, Dakota, IL (Stephenson County), Daniel Obert, Orangeville, IL (Stephenson County), and Meredith Ziller, Huntley, IL (McHenry County).
The second phase was a three station skill-a-thon on various aspects of the dairy industry. Contestants had to identify dairy feeds, identify parts of the cow, and identify dairy equipment. The top three contestants in the skill-a-thon were: Carol Baumann, Wyoming, IL (Stark County), Kaleb Hoerbert, Delavan, IL (Logan County), and Joshua Laesch, Greenville, IL (Bond County).
The third phase of the Superior Young Dairy Producer Contest was a judging contest. The judging phase consisted of animal selection by placing four classes of dairy cows and two classes of heifers. The top three contestants for this phase were: Joshua Laesch, Greenville, IL (Bond County), Andrew Rice, Sheldon,IL (Iroquois, County), and Brett Woker, Greenville, IL (Bond County).
This year marked the 17th consecutive year for the Superior Young Dairy Producer Award Program which has provided $85,000 in college scholarships to Illinois dairy youth since its inception. Participants must be 4-H or FFA dairy project members in Illinois. The program is developed and coordinated by Dave Fischer, University of Illinois Retired Extension Dairy Educator.
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2012 Superior Young Dairy Producer scholarship winners (pictured are L to R): Todd Irwin, Beason; Kaleb Hoebert, Delavan; Daniel Obert, Orangeville; Anna Folgate, Dakota; and Carol Baumann, Wyoming, IL. Scholarships were provided by Archer Daniels Midland, Decator IL. Plaques were sponsored by Land of Lincoln Purebred Livestock Breeders Association and IL State Fair.