Dairy cattle judges from the University of Wisconsin-Madison competed at the Accelerated Genetics 12th Annual Midwest Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, Sept. 18 at Viroqua, Wis. The UW-Madison team placed third overall with 2,063 points, just 1 point behind second-place Iowa State University. The University of Minnesota won the contest.

The UW-Madison team placed 1st in Holsteins, 1st in Brown Swiss, 2nd in Oral Reasons, 4th in Milking Shorthorns, and 5th in Jerseys.

Individual Awards and Members:

Chrissy Wendorf – Viroqua, Wis. – Dairy Science – Sophomore
? High Individual Overall (713 points)
? 1st in Oral Reasons (won the $200 James W.Crowley Scholarship)
? 1st in Jerseys
? 2nd in Holsteins
? 4th in Milking Shorthorns
? 5th in Ayrshires

Linda Behling – Fox Lake, Wis. – Dairy Science – Sophomore
? 5th High Individual Overall (697 points)
? 1st in Brown Swiss
? 3rd in Holsteins
? 5th in Oral Reasons

Kelsi Hendrickson – Belleville, Wis. – Dairy Science & Ag Journalism – Sophomore
? 4th in Brown Swiss

Twelve national and regional universities teams competed. Ted Halbach, dairy cattle evaluation instructor, and Dave Dickson, emeritus professor of dairy science, coached the teams.
“For Chrissy, the hometown girl, to win the contest makes the team”s success an even better story,” stated Halbach. “Obviously, the locals were quietly hoping she would do well and I told Crissy afterwards she is now in the ranks of Vernon County celebrity when she goes home!

“Our girls had to overcome not having a drop score but they knew it going in and collectively they worked as hard as any first-year team I”ve coached,” said Halbach. “Wendorf and Behling were veterans with high expectations because of all their 4-H experience but Kelsi Hendrickson came in with virtually no judging background and averaged nearly 42 on her reasons – she”s made just incredible progress.”