Holstein association honors junior members
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 03/18/2010 10:38 AM
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CEDAR FALLS, Iowa —Leah Henkes, Anna Troester and Mark Simon were honored as Distinguished Junior Members at the recent Iowa Holstein Convention in Cedar Falls.
"Cow milking, tractor driving and farm loving – 100 percent Holstein: Just like my favorite T-shirt says, that's who I am," said Leah Henkes in her Distinguished Junior Member story.
Henkes, the 20-year old daughter of Trent and Leslie Henkes, was interested at an early age in showing, judging and quiz bowl. As her interests expanded, she began developing her own registered Holsteins, promoting the dairy industry and encouraging youth to become involved in dairy activities.
Before college, Henkes was the main milker for her family's 60-cow registered Holstein herd.
She is attending Iowa State University, majoring in dairy science and agricultural education. She is active in the Dairy Science Club, the Animal Science Peer Mentor Program and Ag Council.
Her many junior Holstein activities include serving as president of the Iowa Junior Holstein Association in 2009 and secretary in 2007. She has exhibited several Junior All-Iowa and Reserve Junior All-Iowa's including Grand Champion of the 2005 Iowa Junior Holstein Show.
She was in national dairy bowl competition as a member and captain of Iowa's National Champion Junior team in 2002 and as a member of Iowa's National Champion Senior team in 2009. She was 2009 Iowa Alternate Dairy Princess.
"A few wonderful people in my life who got me started and continued to support me through my years as a junior Holstein member are my mom, dad and brother, Amos," Anna Troester said in her Distinguished Junior Member story.
Troester is the 20-year-old daughter of Mark and Rondee Troester of Garnavillo. She and her family milk 102 registered Holsteins, including some Red and Whites.
One of her favorite junior Holstein activities is showing. After the 2009 show season, her fall yearling, Futurehart Aspen Eninent, was nominated Junior All-American. Aspen's honors included being named Reserve Junior Champion of the junior and open shows at the Iowa State Fair and placing sixth at the International Junior Holstein Show at World Dairy Expo.
In 2006, Troester served as historian of the Iowa Junior Holstein Association and put together the scrapbook which went on to garner first-place honors in national competition.
She is a junior at University of Wisconsin-Platteville, majoring in dairy science with a minor in biology. She is treasurer of the Pioneer Dairy Club, on the Dean's List and a member of Collegiate FFA.
"'Mark, are you ready to help grandpa Joe feed calves?' This is a phrase I have heard often and enjoyed doing this job with my grandpa," Mark Simon said in his Distinguished Junior Member story.
Simon, the 20-year-old son of Tom and Shirley Simon of Farley, plans to return to Farnear Holsteins after graduating from Northeast Iowa Community College with a dairy science degree. He is the third-generation on the farm, which includes 120 registered Holstein cows and 275 replacement heifers.
In 2008, Simon was a member of the Dubuque County Dairy Cattle Judging Team that won the State 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest and placed eighth in the national contest at World Dairy Expo. He judged at the North American International Livestock Exposition in 2005 as member of Iowa's 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Team, which placed fifth. In 2006 he had the distinction of placing first in the Youth Division of the Hoard's Dairyman Judging Contest and he was also a member of Western Dubuque's state winning FFA Dairy Cattle Judging Team.
He placed first in the state with his FFA Dairy Proficiency Placement and went on to receive a bronze at the national level.
At NICC, Mark has served as Dairy Club treasurer, co-chaired the NICC Dairy Sale and participated in the Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo.
Matt Henkes received a Progressive Breeder Award. Michael Lyons and Carly Lyons received Iowa Star Breeder Awards. Scott Hageman, Jacob Scott, John Scott, Rachel Scott, Carly Lyons, Michael Lyons and Leah Henkes received 25,000-pound cow awards.