Keen competition, new experiences

AMERY, Wis. — Dairy bowl competition is a rite of passage for many young people involved in 4-H, FFA and junior dairy breed organizations. Dairy bowl is a rigorous competition for knowledge, and the competition creates a sense of camaraderie.

The winners of the 45th Annual North American 4-H Invitational Dairy Quiz Bowl contest, held Nov. 9 in Louisville, Kentucky, hail from Amery, and all agree they have become passionate about dairy bowl for those reasons.

What makes these four champions — Kallie Andersen, Evelyn Braaten, Suki Gatica and Darby Trent — unique is that none hail from a dairy farm. The group is coached by Gwen Dado and Patti Hurtgen.

“It has taken a lot more studying for them to accomplish what they have — none of this knowledge has come to them as supper table conversation,” Dado said. “Their dedication is admirable and has paid off.”

Participating in dairy bowl has been eye-opening for the teammates.

“Dairy bowl has changed my whole perspective on farming,” Braaten said. “I really didn’t understand it, even living in Wisconsin near farms. Gwen explains everything so we understand it. It’s been an amazing opportunity to learn.”

Polk County has a long-standing tradition of dairy bowl excellence. This team is the third national 4-H championship team produced by the program and marks the fourth championship team from Wisconsin in the 45-year history of the contest.

“The contest itself is great, but there is so much more being taught and learned,” Hurtgen said. Finishing behind the Polk County team in this year’s contest was New York, followed by Virginia and Michigan. Honorable mention went to the teams from Iowa and Georgia. Teams from 15 states across the U.S. participated in the event.

For years, the Dado family has reached out to educate non-farm youth through 4-H and FFA, allowing them to learn about dairy cattle through showing at the Polk County Fair. Andersen and Trent both began learning about dairy cattle by exhibiting.

Dado encouraged both girls to join FFA and participate in quiz bowl, and eventually, they became interested in dairy cattle evaluation. Meanwhile Gatica was spurred to join FFA based on her older sister’s experiences.

“Suki invited me to an FFA meeting and promised there would be ice cream,” Braaten said. “That’s when I met Gwen. They wanted to have a dairy judging team and I thought, ‘How hard can that be?’ It was very hard. The first time I ever saw a cow was at Gwen’s farm, for practice.”

With hard work and determination, the four set about to develop a new skill set.

“Gwen said we could do it, but it would take a lot of effort,” Trent said. “She encouraged us to enroll in 4-H so we could continue on with 4-H judging and dairy bowl.”

The team agreed to meet every Sunday morning at 6:30 to study and practice together for about two hours — a schedule they have adhered to for over two years.

“Our coaches tell us we’re lucky because we’re a very balanced team,” Gatica said. “We’ve been friends for years and know each other well. Being able to meet that often helps.”

Keeping the practices light and enjoyable makes the work seem like less of a chore, Andersen said.

“Our team is definitely what keeps me going,” Andersen said. “Sometimes at our Sunday morning practices, we’re kind of delusional, tired. We’re always making jokes and laughing. It makes it a great time and makes me want to keep learning.”

The quartet enjoyed a taste of success in 2023 when they placed second at the Wisconsin 4-H Dairy Bowl contest in a match that came down to the final question.

“Being that close inspired us to work harder,” Trent said. “We went back this year and won.”

Some things are easier to learn than others, the four agree.

“I think we all really enjoy repro, learning about the hormones and which parts of the body make certain ones,” Braaten said. “Personally, I’m pretty good with the digestive system — which stomach does what, the gallbladder, liver and kidneys — basic physiology. The biggest area I struggle with is crops. Dirt is not my forte.”

The attention to fine detail is challenging, they all admit.

“When they ask questions with percentages and numbers, keeping it all straight, knowing you have the right numbers is challenging,” Andersen said.

Despite their non-farm backgrounds, all four high school juniors are considering future careers in agriculture and life sciences. 

“Growing up I never considered anything in ag — I lived in town, with no connections,” Braaten said. “Even though it is my worst subject, I’ve been thinking really hard about studying agronomy and where that could take me.”

Trent plans to begin her post-secondary education at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with hopes of pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine at a college like Texas A&M University on her way to becoming a large animal veterinarian.

“Working with the animals and the things I’ve learned have really made me feel like that is the right direction,” Trent said.

Andersen is considering attending UW-River Falls as well, seeking a major in animal science, with an interest in becoming a bovine embryologist or a dairy consultant.

The science-based information learned in dairy bowl has influenced Gatica.

“I’m interested in zoology, and learning about the sciences behind the animals and the diseases,” Gatica said. “Working at Gwen’s farm with animals other than dogs and cats has been helpful with that career path.”

Looking back, none of the four can imagine their high school careers without their dairy-related experiences.

“I’ve been working at the Dado’s farm for over a year, and I have the wonderful opportunity of waking up at 3 a.m., to do calf chores on Saturday mornings,” Gatica said. “It’s much more than feeding calves. Gwen’s teaching me more about the management aspect of running a dairy farm.”

As the team prepares for another contest in December at the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Convention, they encourage others to try new experiences outside their comfort zone.

“Just go with it, go with the flow and try something new,” Braaten said. “I’ve had so many different opportunities being involved in dairy bowl that I wouldn’t have thought I could get. It has been the best experience.”