The University of Wisconsin-Madison team scored 2,570 points to win the 82nd National Collegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, Oct. 1 at World Dairy Expo in Madison. The Badger team bested second-place Cornell University by 19 points; 27 national and international university teams competed.

Laurie Winkelman of Watertown, Wis., a senior majoring in dairy science and life sciences communication, was high individual overall and All-American with 866 points.

In addition to high team overall, the UW-Madison judges placed 2nd in oral reasons, 2nd in Milking Shorthorns, 3rd in Brown Swiss, 3rd in Holsteins, 3rd in Jerseys, 4th in Ayrshires, 4th in Guernseys and 4th in Red and Whites.

This was the UW-Madison”s eighth national team championship, and only the fourth time in national contest history that both the state 4-H and state university teams have won their respective championships in the same year. The victory also marked the UW-Madison”s third contest win in 2002 (Badger teams also won the All-American Dairy Show and the Southern Intercollegiate Contest at the Mid-South Fair).

Ted Halbach, dairy cattle evaluation instructor at the UW-Madison, and Dave Dickson, emeritus professor of dairy science at the UW-Madison, coached the team.

Individual awards and team members:

Laurie Winkelman was high individual overall and All-American, 1st in Milking Shorthorns, 1st in Red and Whites, 2nd in oral reasons, 2nd in Holsteins, and 10th in Brown Swiss. Winkelman is the 10th UW-Madison judge to earn high individual honors at the national contest. (Her coaches, Dave Dickson and Ted Halbach, have also taken high individual honors at the national contest.) Winkelman is the third person to win both the 4-H and Collegiate contests (Jeff Fuchs and Dave Dickson are the others). Winkelman has been a member of five winning UW-Madison teams, and has been the high individual at three collegiate contests (the All-American Dairy Show, Accelerated Genetics and the National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest) – the most contest wins for any UW-Madison student.

Josey Morris of Watertown, Wis., a senior majoring in dairy science, was 2nd high individual overall and All-American (862 points), 4th in Jerseys, 5th in Brown Swiss, 6th in Oral Reasons, and 8th in Guernseys.

Winkelman and Morris were the 1st and 2nd high individuals in the 2000 National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, and this is the third collegiate contest in which they”ve placed first and second. “I think it”s an amazing achievement that these two have been able to maintain this kind of consistency and excellence in their contest performance throughout their collegiate careers,” says Halbach.

Laurie Langel of McFarland, Wis., a senior majoring in life sciences communication, was 12th high individual overall and All-American.

Nick Sarbacker of Verona, a senior majoring in dairy science, was 15th high individual overall and All-American, 6th in Ayrshires, and 8th in Red and Whites.

“It needs to be emphasized that it took a team effort to win this contest, stated Halbach. “I thought our students were intent in their contest preparation and that they showed the poise and consistency that we have seen many times from members of this senior class.”