Another win for the University of Minnesota

MADISON, Wis. — Calling themselves the “Power Puff Girls,” three students from the University of Minnesota claimed the top title Sept. 29 at the National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo. It was the Gophers’ second straight victory at the contest, achieved by a margin of 22 points over the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The team of Sarah Hagenow of Poynette, Megan Meyer of Rollingstone, Minnesota, and Megan Ratka of Cold Spring, Minnesota, bested 16 other teams in the reasons category, defeating the Madison team by 10 points.

The U of M also won the contest in 2023. This year, the win was more impressive to some, because the team of three was unusual. Most teams have a fourth score, allowing for the lowest individual point total to be dropped.

“It was the first time I’ve had a three-person team in any contest, ever,” Dr. Les Hanson, the team’s longtime coach, said.

Hanson’s teams have won four titles in the contest in the past decade and are the only team to have more than a single win during that time.

“That’s not easy to do,” Hanson said. “There’s talent, there’s coaching, and then there is a lot of luck.” 

Even with only three competitors, Gabriella Houdek, who also coached the team with her husband, Eric, and Isaac Hagen, was optimistic.

“Everyone else seemed to be worried about that, but we weren’t,” Houdek said.

Minnesota’s victory came on the strength of its fourth, fifth and sixth-place individual placings of Meyer, Hagenow and Ratka, respectively. In reasons, Meyer was third, Hagenow fourth and Ratka fifth.

Kylie Konyn from UW-Madison captured the high individual award when her top reasons score was used to break a tie with Naomi Scott of Iowa State University. Both women amassed 861 points, but Konyn’s 283-point day in reasons bested Scott’s by five.

Konyn, who comes from the last dairy in San Diego County, California, said her goal was to win reasons and she was happy to accomplish that. As her team listened for results, they knew how things would shake out for the team.

Individually, Konyn also won Brown Swiss and Guernseys.

“The cuts were in my favor,” she said. “I loved the classes.”

It was not the first time Konyn’s individual score was tied for the win. In a previous contest she lost in a tie with her teammate, Natalie Roe of Monticello. Chloe LaCrosse of Forestville and Emma Dorshorst of Marshfield completed the UW-Madison team.

The U of M judges said they had high hopes for the national contest after competing in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, earlier this fall. At the contest held with the All-American Dairy Show, Ratka was sixth individual while Hagenow was 10th. The team was fifth overall but took home the reasons title.

“That was a tune-up,” Meyer said. “We knew we were capable. We get our strength from each other.”

As placings in various breeds began during the judging awards banquet, the team wondered whether they could come out on top.

“Our mentions were very spread out,” Hagenow said. “We kind of came from behind.”

The team scored wins in Guernseys and Milking Shorthorns, and Ratka was high individual in Milking Shorthorns. She also was one of only two contestants to score a perfect reasons score of 50.

“This is everything I could dream of,” Ratka said. “You start judging when you’re little and think one day you can win at Expo, but then it happens … I’m not sure I’m awake.”

Iowa State University placed third in the team competition, followed by Purdue University. The UW-River Falls was fifth.

In the concurrent National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, Wisconsin’s team from St. Croix County placed third overall and second in reasons, Milking Shorthorns and Red & Whites.

Wisconsin 4-H member Lilly Peterson was third in reasons and in the Ayrshire, Milking Shorthorn and Red & White breeds, while her teammate, Stella Kamm, placed third in Holsteins.

Sophia Kamm and Makayla Weyer completed the Wisconsin 4-H team.

Minnesota 4-H team member Klaudia Biel was sixth high individual.