Over 200 youth from 22 states and two Canadian provinces participated in the 2009 World Dairy Expo Youth Showmanship Contest Thursday evening in the Coliseum. This event features three age brackets for youth to measure their cattle exhibiting skills. Junior showmen range in age from 9 years to 12 years and compete strictly in the showring, presenting their animal for the judge. Intermediate competitors are 13 to 15 years old and, in addition to showring evaluation; take a written test consisting of 10 questions about dairy knowledge.
    The Senior Showmanship Division is open to 16 to 18 year olds and starts with preliminary showmanship heats. Top placing contestants from each heat go on to compete in semi-final rounds that identify the top ten individuals in the competition. Those top ten finalists then compete in the official topline fitting portion of the contest using ten heifers provided by World Dairy Expo that have been washed and body clipped.
    Serving as judges for this year’s competition were Laurie Langel, Madison, WI, Junior division judge; Jennifer Hill, Thurmont, MD., Intermediate division judge and Tim Baumgartner, Oakdale, CA, placed the Senior showmen. The first place junior division winner was awarded the W. Terry Howard Award; the intermediate winner received the Howard Voegeli Award and the first place senior was presented with the Keith King Award.

 The top 10 in each division are as follows:

Juniors (63 participants)
 1. Paige Hoesly, Brodhead, WI
 2. Laura Frye, Logansport, IN
 3. Elisabeth Regusci, Modesto, CA
 4. Elise Regusci, Modesto, CA
 5. Brandon Almeida, Hilmar, CA
 6. Kyle Barton, Ancramdale, NY
 7. Brett Peth, Ripon, WI
 8. Connor Erbsen, Lanark, IL
 9. Baily Larson, Alma Center, WI
 10. Rachel Bock, Malone, WI

Intermediates (74 participants)
 1. Jacob Dueppengiesser, Perry, NY
 2. Tanner Jones, Woodstock, ON
 3. Jared Dueppengiesser, Perry, NY
 4. Jordan Siemers, Newton, WI
 5. Jessica Currie, Tully, NY
 6. Tyler Endres, Lodi, WI
 7. Michael Davis, Riverdale, CA
 8. Ben Powers, Menomonie, WI
 9. Kara Vosters, Freedom, WI
 10. Andrew Manke, Valders, WI
 
Seniors (72 participants)
 1. Kyle Natzke, Fond du Lac, WI
 2. John Paul Regusci, Modesto, CA
 3. Nicole Ballweg, Dane, WI
 4. Cassy Krull, Lake Mills, WI
 5. Seth Elsner, Fort Atkinson, WI
 6. Jennifer Wakely, Rockford, IL
 7. Dana Johnson, Pelican Rapids, MN
 8. Ashley Dietz, Southington, OH
 9. Amelia Cooper, DeForest, WI
 10. Sara Belder, Whately, MA