Prestigious dairy leaders from across United State scheduled to officiate
The All-American Dairy Show will again use a top-quality team of judges from across the dairy industry to evaluate North America's largest exhibition of elite dairy cattle. The show is scheduled for September 12-17, 2015, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg. This year's judges:
Chris Lahmers of Marysville, Ohio, will officiate the All-American Ayrshire Show on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 15-16, and the Premier National Holstein Show on Monday, September 14. Lahmers was raised on a registered Holstein and Brown Swiss farm and is currently a Specialist in the Program for Genetic Advancement for COBA Select Sires. A former Ohio State University judging team member, Lahmers has also seen showring success representing Lah-Dale Holsteins, exhibiting multiple champions and All-American nominations. He has judged district, state and national competitions as well as in Japan.
Michael Heath of Westminster, Md., will place the All-American Brown Swiss Show on Wednesday and Thursday, September 16-17. After growing up on the family's Spring Valley Jersey Farm and attending college, Heath became a professional fitter for 14 years and is now a dairy cattle marketer who has owned cattle from some of the Jersey breed's top families, including co-owning the Atlee family.A judge for 25 years, Heath placed cattle at the local, state and international levels, including the International Holstein and Central National Jersey shows at World Dairy Expo, International Junior Holstein Show, Canadian National Jersey Show, Royal Ulster Show in Ireland, Mexican National Holstein Show, Quebec International Fall Holstein Show, Western Spring National Holstein Show and Western Fall National Holstein Show.
Chris Hill of Thurmont, Md., is set to judge the All-American National Guernsey Show on September 16. With roots in his family's Wauwatosa Ayrshire Farm, he now owns and operates MD-Hillbrook Sales Service with wife Jennifer. A professional fitter and auctioneer for 25 years, Hill has traveled to more than 40 states and Canada, Germany, Mexico and Belgium to prepare cattle, and has managed and assisted with various breed sales, including the March Madness Sale series. He has shown, owned and sold several All-American and All-Canadian nominations in multiple breeds. A seasoned judge, he has evaluated cattle at county, district, state and national shows, including Holsteins, Jerseys and Red & Whites at World Dairy Expo, and internationally in Argentina, Brazil and Canada. He also officiated the Hoard's Dairyman Holstein cow class and served on the All-American judges' panel for all seven breeds.
Paul Trappof Taylor, Wis., will sort the All-American Holstein Show on September 16-17. A 20-year veteran of ABS Global, he is a sire analyst whose favorite acquisitions include Dundee, Destry, Garrett, Gerard, Levi, Gillespy and Gavin. He, his wife Sarah, and their sons Kole and Beau own an elite group of registered Brown Swiss, Jersey and Holstein cattle,receiving All-American nominations in all three breeds. He is a partner in Pit-Crew Genetics, which has earned 14 Brown Swiss All-American nominations. Trapp judged shows in 15 different states at the county, district, state and national levels. Internationally, Trapp has placed cattle in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom.
Sean Johnson of Glenville, Pa., returns to the tanbark in Harrisburg for the second year in a row, this time to judge the All-American Jersey Show September 15-16 and the Premier National Red & White Show September 14. Johnson, a self-employed cattle hoof trimmer, began his dairy career in Maryland working at Maple Dell Farm, followed by working with show cattle with Brad Garst for prominent herds from across the east coast. As a member of the University of Maryland judging team, Johnson was the high individual at the North American International Livestock Expo collegiate contest. His other judging credits include the Eastern National Red & White Show, Maryland Spring Holstein Show, New York Spring Carousel Show, associate judge for the New York Spring Show and the All-American Holstein Show, and several other local shows.
Dean Dohleof Halfway, Mo., will evaluate the All-American Milking Shorthorn Show September 15-16, and the Premier National Junior Jersey Show September 14. Dohle is the owner of Starstruck Farms, LLC, and has exhibited several national show winners in the past. He has extensive judging experience, most recently placing the 2014 Jersey Jug in Louisville, Ky. He has served as an associate judge at the national level for the Brown Swiss show at World Dairy Expo and at the All American Junior Jersey Show. Dohle has judged at the state fairs of Ohio, North and South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Tom McCauley of Lowell, Mich., will officiate the All-American Red & White Show September 16 and the Premier National Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn shows September 14. McCauley, his wife Renee, and their son Cash operate Tumbleweed Dairy, a 150-cow Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss herd. McCauley has owned more than 20 All-Americans and All-Canadians. He is a native of Elizabethtown, Pa., and is a 1993 graduate of Penn State University. He has judged shows in 15 states at all levels of competition, and recently was the consultant in the 2014 Jersey Jug Futurity. He won the 2009 Klussendorf McKenzie award at World Dairy Expo.
Rebekah Mast of Turlock, Calif., will place the Premier National Brown Swiss Show September 16-17. A California native who grew up on her family's dairy Calori-D Holsteins in Denair, Mast has found success in the show ring at the state and national level with both Holsteins and Brown Swiss. A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Dairy Science major and Agriculture Business minor, Mast was a member of the Cal Poly Dairy Judging Team the high team at the 2004 National Intercollegiate Dairy Judging Contest in Madison, Wis. She has evaluated numerous local, state and international shows in the United States, Japan, Russia and Australia, where she judged the Brown Swiss Show at International Dairy Week earlier this year. Mast is the Genetic Director for World Wide Sires.
Jeremy Kohler of Baltimore, Ohio, will sort the Premier National Guernsey Show September 14. Kohler operates Marodore Farms, with 60 registered Guernseys and 20 registered Holsteins, with his wife Hannah and their two children along with his father, Lee Kohler. The Marodore Guernseys travel to state and national shows each year where they have won multiple All-American awards. Kohler recently officiated the Pennsylvania State Junior Dairy Show, and has judged the Iowa State Fair.
The All-American Dairy Show features 22 shows in six days in addition to the nation's only all-dairy antiques show. Last year's show featured nearly 3,000 animals and 1,500 exhibitors from around the country.
A summary of judges for each show follows.
All-American shows:
Ayrshire Show Chris Lahmers, Marysville, Ohio
Brown Swiss Show Michael Heath, Westminster, Md.
Guernsey Show Chris Hill, Thurmont, Md.
Holstein Show Paul Trapp, Taylor, Wis.
Jersey Show Sean Johnson, Glenville, Pa.
Milking Shorthorn Dean Dohle, Halfway, Mo.
Red & White Tom McCauley, Lowell, Mich.
Premier National Junior Shows:
Ayrshire/Milking Shorthorn Shows Tom McCauley, Lowell, Mich.
Brown Swiss Show Rebekah Mast, Turlock, Calif.
Guernsey Show Jeremy Kohler, Baltimore, Ohio
Holstein Show Chris Lahmers, Marysville, Ohio
Jersey Show Dean Dohle, Halfway, Mo.
Red & White Show Sean Johnson, Glenville, Pa.
8.7.2015