Merle Howard Award
Merle Howard Award
The junior show at World Dairy Expo continues to grow. In 2004, the first-ever Merle Howard Award which recognizes the top junior exhibitor. The youth honored with this award exhibits outstanding skills in fitting, showmanship, and a passion for the dairy industry.
The award is given in honor of the 1954 Klussendorf winner Merle Howard. Howard was a long-time World Dairy Expo volunteer, who also served as herd manager for Mooseheart Farms, as Holstein classifier, and later in the sales and export business. He was on the first board of directors of National Dairy Shrine and is only one of six people to have won its 4-E Award for outstanding service.
Here are the past winners of the Merle Howard Award:
2011: Karen Anderson, MN
2010: Stephanie Aves, IL
2009: Kyle Natzke, WI
2008: Kelly Lee, WI
2007: Brandon Ferry, WI
2006: Tera Koebel, MI
2005: Matt Mitchell, TN
2004: Robert Teixeira, CA
