2017 MINNESOTA STATE FAIR

4-H BEEF SHOW JUDGES

4-H Beef Show Judge --- Dr. Dave Duello

Dr. Dave Duello is the owner of Duello Cattle Company (DCC), a 400 head composite beef

cow/calf operation, which is located near Pine Bluffs, WY. DCC markets beef seed stock

and show prospects throughout the United States. The major marketing event at DCC is

the Western Elite Sale, which is held annually at The National Western Stock Show in

Denver Colorado. Duello, has a BS, MS and PhD in Animal Science and Beef Cattle

Genetics from Iowa State University. He was a member of the 1986 National Champion

Livestock Judging Team and was the High Individual at the American Royal Contest, and

Second High Individual at the National Collegiate Contest in Louisville, KY. Dave was an

Instructor at Iowa State University, and coached two National Champion College Livestock

Judging Teams while at ISU. He has judged Beef Cattle Shows at State Fairs, Major

Livestock Shows, and National Junior Shows throughout the U.S., as well as judging

International Beef Shows in Australia and New Zealand.

4-H Dairy Steer Judge --- Matt Smoker

Matt Smoker is from Wanatah, Indiana, where his family operates a 1500-head beef

feedlot, which for the past 15 years has been primarily feeding dairy steers. Matt was a ten

year 4-H member in LaPorte County, IN in both the beef and dairy steer projects. Matt

attended Purdue University and received his Bachelor’s degree in 2012, with a

concentration in animal production. Since graduation, he has had the opportunity to

evaluate beef and dairy steers at several County Fairs and Open Beef Shows in Indiana,

and also had the privilege to judge at the Indiana State Fair last year.

4-H Beef Showmanship Judge --- Jara Settles

Jara Settles grew up on a purebred cattle operation in Hoskins, Nebraska, and won several

show honors at major Livestock Shows across the U.S. She competed on the livestock

judging teams at Butler Junior College and Kansas State University. where she was a

member of the winning Junior College Judging Team and the Reserve National Champion

Senior College Judging Team, respectively. She later attended Washburn University School

of Law, and currently serves as General Counsel to the Livestock Marketing Association in

Kansas City. Jara lives in Leavenworth, Kansas, and remains active in her family's cattle

operation. She has had the opportunity to judge youth livestock shows across the Country.

2017 Minnesota State Fair 4-H Dairy Judges

Bob Hagenow – Judge of Colored Breeds: Jerseys, Brown Swiss, and others Bob grew up on a dairy farm in Manitowoc County, WI and graduated with a BS in Dairy Science in

1985 from UW Madison participating in the Badger Dairy Club and in the judging program. He spent 2

years as an area representative and classifier for the National Brown Swiss Association after

college. Since 1987, he has been employed by Vita Plus Corporation, a regional feed company based in

Madison, Wisconsin. At Vita Plus, he works as a nutrition consultant on farms, supervise/coach several

salespeople, and works with several key manufacturing sites in Southern Wisconsin and Northern

Illinois. Bob has spent numerous years coaching county 4-H teams, serves as assistant superintendent at

World Dairy Expo, and judges numerous shows throughout the Midwest every year along with

volunteering in several university and local organizations. As a member of the World Dairy Expo

building committee during the last year, he helped conceive, design and plan the new cattle barns that will

be an exciting addition to the Expo starting with the 2014 show. Bob currently lives near Poynette,

Wisconsin with my wife of 28 years, Lisa, and daughters Ashley who is 17 and Sarah who is 14. The girls

are also involved in the dairy judging world recently placing first and second in the Area Animal Science

days in Wisconsin leading their Columbia county Junior team to first place.

Dave Lawstuen – Judge of Total Merit Dave Lawstuen is originally from a registered Holstein farm in Lanesboro of Fillmore County. He has a

B.S. in Animal Science and a M.S. in Dairy Cattle Breeding and Genetics from the University of

Minnesota. He held the position of Director of Sire Procurement for Eastern/Federated Genetics in

Ithaca, NY for nine years. In 1995, Dave returned to the Midwest to accept a position on the Dairy

Science Faculty of Northeast Iowa Community College. Currently, Dave is Chair of Dairy Operations at

Iowa’s Dairy Center in Calmar, IA and teaches courses in Genetics, Dairy Production and Animal

Science. Dave has coached national champion two-year collegiate teams in both dairy judging and

proficiency. Dave resides on his century family farm in Lanesboro with his wife, Debbie, and his two

children, Kirstin (22) and Kyle (20).

Vincent Migliazzo – Judge of Crossbreds and Colored Breeds and Associate Judge for

some Holstein heifer classes Vincent Migliazzo is from an 800 cow registered Holstein dairy in Atwater, CA. He attended Modesto Junior

College for two years before transferring to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. While at the University

of Minnesota he was a member of the Gopher Dairy Club and the dairy cattle judging team. In 2015, Vincent

was High Individual at the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg Pennsylvania where his team placed first.

Also, in 2015, Vincent was High Individual at World Dairy Expo where his team placed first by a 56 point

margin. Currently he is the Assistant Herdsman at Gar-Lin Dairy Eyota Minnesota. He is responsible for the

genetic program as well as foot health on the farm. Vincent is also active in his family farm in California,

Dinomi Holsteins, where he plays an integral part in their genetic program as well management decisions.

Molly Sloan – Judge of Registered Holsteins Molly Sloan lives in Columbus, WI with her husband, Matt. She grew up on a registered Holstein farm in

Marengo, IL. Molly graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Dairy Science &

Ag Journalism. For the past 8 years she has worked for Alta Genetics, currently serving as Global

Training Program Manager. She has judged dairy shows in 11 states and 4 countries including the

National Brown Swiss shows in Peru and Australia, Brazil’s Fenasoja Jersey Show, the Southern National

Jersey Show, the Wisconsin and Kansas Jr. State Fair Jersey Shows, the Maryland State Fair Brown

Swiss Show, and both Brown Swiss and Jersey junior shows at the Nebraska and Illinois State Fairs.

Molly also served 3 times as an official judge for the National 4-H Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo

and was the Jersey official for the 2014 Hoards Dairyman Cow Judging Contest. Molly was on the 2013

Holstein All-American Contest Panel of Judges and the 2013 Junior All-American Red & White Holstein

Contest Judges Panel. She will judge the International Junior Holstein Show at World Dairy Expo and the

Junior Jersey Show at the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, PA this fall.

Emily Yeiser Stepp – Judge of Grade Holsteins Emily Yeiser Stepp grew up just outside of Annapolis, Maryland. She began her involvement in the dairy

industry through the 4-H dairy leasing program where she was able to “borrow” a calf from a local dairy

farm to show at local, county and state fairs. Yeiser Stepp was involved in Maryland 4-H and the leasing

program for over 10 years and was fortunate enough to win the 4-H Judging Contest at both World Dairy

Expo and the All American Dairy Show. She pursued a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Animal Science

with a minor in Agribusiness Management from Penn State University. At Penn State, she was an active

member of the Dairy Science Club and member of the collegiate dairy judging team who won at the All

American Dairy Show in 2006. Upon graduation from Penn State, Emily worked for ABS Global Inc. as

their Young Sire Program Specialist in the Mid-Atlantic region. She then went on to attend graduate

school at Virginia Tech and in 2011, obtained her Master’s of Science degree in Dairy Science. Yeiser

Stepp has also served as the Dairy Initiatives Manager for the Center for Dairy Excellence in Harrisburg,

Pennsylvania and as the Dairy and Beef Extension Coordinator at the University of Maryland. Currently,

she is the Director of the National Dairy FARM Animal Care Program with National Milk Producer

Federation. Emily and her family maintain a small herd of registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss under

the Spots-Pride prefix, that are housed at Palmyra Farm in Maryland.

2017 Minnesota State Fair

4-H Dairy Goat Judges

John White & Eric Jermaine

John White and Eric Jermaine are ADGA Judge. Both do linear appraisal, breed goats, and

rabbits. Throughout the years they have judged many fairs and open shows while holding their

judging liscence from ADGA. Through their judging career they have experienced the changes of

expectations for a show animal. They enjoy judging for youth shows and seeing all the hard

work put into the project. Mr. White and Mr. Jermaine have been involved for numerous years

and remain active in the American Dairy Goat Association.

2017 Minnesota State Fair4-H Meat Goat Judge

Warren Thigpen

Our judge Mr. Warren Thigpen is a 32 year retired Extension Agent, has a B.S. in Agriculture Education from Texas A&M University in 1979. Has been judging meat goats since the mid 1980's, and is a ABGA and JABGA Certified judge. His experience judging goats has taken him across the country judging shows up to 400 animals. He enjoys judging both adult and youth shows currently resides in texas.

2017 Minnesota State Fair 4-H Poultry Judges

Laura Kershaw- Ring 1

Growing up I had dreams of being a veterinarian. After marrying my husband, Byron, we build

our “house on the farm”. Byron had a love of poultry since he was a kid. So, we got some

chickens from the local hatchery. As our 2 boys grew and we went to our local country fair. We

were introduced to poultry shows. Our family has been raising and showing poultry for over 25

years in the Midwest. We are best known for our standard Silver Laced Wyandottes, Cayuga

ducks and Pilgrim geese. Three years ago, I received my APA general judge’s license and this

Spring I received my ABA general judge’s license. I enjoy raising and showing poultry. It is

“therapy” for me in so many ways. I feel this is my form of being a veterinarian…a poultry one

that is.

David Karasek- Ring 2

I have been involved indirectly or directly with exhibition poultry my entire life attending my

very first poultry show when I was just 2 weeks old. My father, Donnie Karesek who is also a

poultry judge and my late Uncle Dannie Karasek, and I traveled the country showing and

judging. It has been a hobby that has taken me to great places and opportunity to spend time with

my family and meet new friends. Today, I raise a few White Wyandottes and variety of Call

Ducks with my father. I currently live in Delafield Wisconsin with my wife Cindy, son Jackson

(9), and daughter Chloe (6) who are keeping us busy with all their activities. I work in the field

of medical device for Medtronic as a Market Development Manager in the gastroenterology

division. I am very grateful for the opportunity to judge the Minnesota State Fair.

Evan VanBeusekom- Ring 3

Evan is a veterinarian with Sioux Nation Ag Center, he is in charge of the poultry division and

works primarily with turkey and pheasant producers in South Dakota. He grew up in Delano

Minnesota and was very active in the 4-H poultry project. He has been judging poultry for the

last ten years and also enjoys breeding and exhibiting African Geese, Muscovy Ducks, as well as

varieties of Standard Wyandottes.

2017 4-H Rabbit Judges

Tex Thomas

He lives in Marionville, Missouri on a 40 acre farm, which includes cattle and rabbits. We currently operate a 300 hole rabbitry, raising Silver Martens and Standard Chinchillas. In addition, my wife Tonna raises Mini Satins, Dwarf Hotots, and Florida Whites. I have raised rabbits for over 50 years, including the majority of the recognized breeds in the ARBA Standard.

I have been a licensed rabbit judge since 1976 and have judged in 47 of the 50 states. I hold a lifetime judges and registrars license with the American Rabbit Breeders Assn. I have served as ARBA vice president, director, and chairman of the standards committee for 16 years. I am one of 23 people inducted into the ARBA Hall of Fame.

As an exhibitor, I have attended 44 ARBA National Conventions and shows, and have won either a Best of Breed or Best Opposite Sex of Breed at 41 of these conventions. I have won a total of 76 Best and Best Opposite awards at ARBA conventions, including 2 Best in Shows and 5 Best 4 Classes.

Tonna Thomas

I am originally from Southern California but have lived in Missouri for the past 19 years. I have been showing rabbits since 1982 and have raised Holland Lops, Netherland Dwarfs, and am currently raising Mini Satins, Dwarf Hotots and Florida Whites.

I obtained my American Rabbit Breeders registrars license in 1995 and became all breed judge in 2000. In 2011 I received the ARBA President’s Award. Currently I hold the position of Secretary/Treasurer of the American Dwarf Hotot Rabbit Club and am a director in the Florida White Rabbit Breeders Association.

In 2004 Tex and I were the first U.S. judges to be asked to judge in Australia. We were again asked to return in September of 2014 to judge the 75th Anniversary Royale Adelaide Show. I have also been to Malaysia twice to judge the annual MARBA National Show. I enjoy traveling throughout the United States judging shows and meeting wonderful exhibitors.

Derek Poole Derek Poole became a 4-H member at the age of 8. He has actively showed rabbits in 4-H, open shows and National Conventions. Derek has been the leader of the Wayne County, New York 4-H Rabbit Club for 14 years.

He began his show career with a Black Dutch when he was in 5th grade. This poorly marked animal was the start of his life-long rabbit passion. Derek began competitively raising Dutch while in high school and was mentored by Johnny J. Baker, a Dutch Icon. While traveling across country with Baker, he was able to attend his first ARBA Convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1989 and won his first National Dutch title in Hartford, CT in 1990. He has actively bred and shown English Lops for the past 15 years and has won Convention with his stock along with numerous National wins. He is also past President of the Lop Rabbit Club of America. He has a Masters' Degree in Education and is a Certified School Counselor. He lives in New York on a small farm and raises many varieties of Dahlias. He runs an Early Literacy Foundation that reads to elementary school children in his county and engages the parents starting at the birth of their child. He passed his judging exams at the Minneapolis Convention in 2010. He has judged all over the United States, Canada and Japan. He has had the honor of judging Dutch, and American Fuzzy Lops at past ARBA Conventions. He has judged English Lops, Netherland Dwarfs, Harlequins and Mini Lop National Shows.

He is very excited to meet the youth exhibitors and is honored to be a part of their educational journey.

Ross Becker

2017 Minnesota State Fair 4-H Sheep Judges Market Cody Sloan is from Cameron Missouri and grew up on the family farm where they raised row crops and commercial cattle. Cody grew up showing sheep and pigs. Cody attended college at Coffeyville Community College where he was on the livestock judging team. He later transferred to Texas A & M where he judged on the 2008 livestock judging team and coached in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Cody earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science as well as a Masters in Ag Education. Currently, he works for a feed and farm supply distributor called American Midwest in Kansas City as well as helping operate Team Sloan Livestock out of Cameron, MO which raises and sells show pigs, show goats and show lambs.

Breeding & Fleece Todd Taylor is the manager University of Wisconsin Madison Arlington Sheep Unit since 2001. There they run a 350 ewe flock of Hampshire, Polypay, Targhee and Rambouillet sheep. Todd and his wife, Lynnette and 4 children, run about 60 head of Southdown, Hampshire, Lincoln and Targhee sheep as well. Todd has his Masters in Animal Science from Texas A&M, where he managed the TAMU sheep unit from 1994 to 2001. He received his bachelor’s degree from University of Wyoming in 1994. He has judged state and national shows from New York to Utah and Texas to Minnesota, including the Houston Livestock show and National Western Stockshow. Lamb Lead Sheryl Meshke serves as co-president and CEO for Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI). Sheryl currently serves on the board of directors of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, the National Milk Producers Federation and The Cooperative Foundation. She was appointed by Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton to serve on the Minnesota Dairy Research, Teaching and Consumer Education Authority and elected chairman of the Authority. She is past president of The Cooperative Foundation, Cooperative Communicators Association and the Minnesota FFA Foundation. Meshke holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from South Dakota State University and a master’s degree in business from the University of St. Thomas. She and her husband Blake have two sons: Derek and Brent. The family operates a diversified crop and livestock farm near Lake Crystal, MN, where they are also 4-H volunteers. Rachael Dahlman is a native of Wright County, Minnesota. She currently is a Seed DSM for Winfield United, a division of Land o Lakes. She grew up on a crop farm, and had a flock of Montadale sheep she showed. She is a 2012 graduate of SDSU in Agriculture Economics. Rachael was a long time member of MN 4-H and FFA and enjoyed showing sheep at the MN State Fair, especially the Lamb Lead competition. In her spare time Rachael enjoys cheering on the Packers and Badgers- On Wisconsin! She wishes all the 4-Hers today good luck and is proud to be a part of the strong MN lamb lead tradition.

2017 Minnesota State Fair Swine Judges

Ben Bobell

Lincoln, IL

Breeding/Market Gilt Judge Ben Bobell is from Lincoln, Illinois where he and his family own and operate Bobell Farms. Bobell's herd

consists of both purebred york and crossbred sows. Ben attended Black Hawk East and Iowa State where he

was an active member of both judging teams. Ben has judged shows all of over the United States and he has

judged the junior market barrows at San Antonio, Houston, and the Oklahoma Youth Expo barrow show. He is

currently the Business Development Manager for Cargill's Show feed business which includes Sunglo and

Showmaster S-Series.

Dan Lane

Elkader, IA

Market Barrow Judge Dan Lane was raised near Preston, Iowa on a dairy, beef and swine farm that his parents operate to this

day. Dan is a graduate of Iowa State University with his BS and MS degrees in Education. Dan has previously

taught agriculture education at the high school level. Recently he served as State 4-H Youth Development

Specialist for Iowa State University. He is currently an Animal Science Instructor at Northeast Iowa

Community College in Calmar Iowa. Dan was a member of teams that won both the National 4-H and

Collegiate livestock judging contests growing up and placed in the top ten individually at both. Dan has judged

shows at 15 state fairs. He has also judged shows such as Houston, San Antonio, World Pork Expo and the

Oklahoma Youth Expo. Dan is married to his wife Peggy and they have two children, Keaton who is a

sophomore at Iowa State University majoring in Journalism and Melanie who is a high school junior. At home

they raise purebred Chester White and Crossbred pigs mainly for exhibition.

Gary Kubicek

Firth, NE

Market Barrow Showmanship Judge Gary Received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of Nebraska Lincoln and he is now the

sales and marketing manager for consumers supply along with being a club lamb producer. He and his wife

Diane have 2 daughters, Stacy and Shelly. They show extensively hogs, sheep, and cattle and have had much

success. His daughters won the Nebraska State Fair Hog and Sheep Market and Showmanship Shows multiple

times. They were also successful in winning on a National Level at the American Royal, National Western,

AKSARBEN, and the North American in Louisville. Gary has been judging livestock shows for over 42 years

and is excited to be here with us today!

Kyle Baade

Plymouth, NE

Breeding/Market Gilt Showmanship Judge Kyle Baade is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science with a

Business minor. Kyle currently lives outside of Plymouth, Nebraska with his wife, Laura Baade and their two-

year-old son Anders. Together the couple own and operate Baade Genetics; previously known as Penner

Hampshire’s. This 70-head sow operation consists of Hampshire, Yorkshire, Duroc and crossbred females.

Their primary focus is on raising competitive club pigs and elite breeding stock. Assisted by John Penner, they

additionally operate a 10-12 boar stud, marketing Hampshire, Yorkshire, Duroc and crossbred semen across the

country.