• Any youth member who has passed his/her 8th birthday and has not passed his/her 22nd birthday before Aug. 1 is eligible to participate in this event provided he or she has not previously been a member of a winning state 4-H or FFA Dairy Cattle Judging Team.
  • There will be three divisions: 8–10, 11–13 and 14–21. The 8–10 Division will consist of youth which shall be 8 by Aug. 1 and not 11 by Aug. 1. The 11–13 Division will consist of youth which shall be 11 by Aug. 1 and not 14 by Aug. 1. The 14–21 Division will consist of youth which shall be 14 by Aug. 1 and not 22 by Aug. 1
  • All desiring to enter should report by 8 a.m. to the Donnelly Arena to register for this contest.
  • No communication will be permitted between the contestants during the contest.
  • Each contestant will be required to place four to six classes, composed of four animals each and to give oral reasons on two to three classes which shall be designated as oral reason classes.
  • Twelve minutes will be allowed for placing and an additional eight minutes will be allowed on each reasons class.
  • Each contestant will be graded on the basis of 50 points for placing of each class and 50 points each set of reasons given.
  • Based on total points, the four contestants with the highest numerical scores will be awarded rosettes for each division. Other contestants will be awarded gold, silver and bronze ribbons according to the merit or placing of individual scores.
  • There will be cash awards of $15 (1st), $10 (2nd) and $5 (3rd) for high individuals in Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and oral reasons judging in the 14–21 Division.

Cash awards are provided by Missouri Holstein Association, Missouri Guernsey Breeders Association, Missouri Jersey Cattle Club, Missouri Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders Association, Missouri Ayrshire Association, Fallenleaf & Probert Dairy

 

Contest results

Missouri 4-H places first at All-American Dairy Cattle Judging Contest! See news story:

Dairy Cattle Judging Competition Story (PDF)

Current and past results can be found at:

Results

Pictures of winners from 2023 contest:

2023 Top senior judgesTop senior judges, left to right, front row: Molly Archer, Samantha Justice, Case Melzer, Libby Shaver, Emma Parrigon, Chloe Hillian, Addison Porter. Back row: Payton Harker, Ada Bluel, Eli Nisbett, Molly Melzer, Cordell Ward, Sam Peterson and Logan Archer.

2023 Top intermediate judgesTop intermediate judges, left to right: David Melzer, Lily Bluel, Charley Dickerson and Colton Nisbett

2023 Top junior judgesTop junior judges, left to right: Trenton Nisbett, McCoy Morgan, Calvin Culpepper, Preston Campbell, Diesel Dixon, Brantley Keltner, Emma Coleman and Harper VanZyverden