In 2021, Idaho 4-H reinstated a state dairy judging contest after a 30-year hiatus. In October 2024, Idaho will be sending four young women to represent the state at the National 4-H Contest in Madison, Wisconsin. Brianna Lopes, Jaycee Guthrie, Jaden Wilks and Kinley Young will join dairy enthusiasts across the country in making the trek to the Badger State.
The senior 4-H team of the Intermountain Junior Dairy Club won the state competition in June, with Wilks and Young placing first and second high individuals, respectively.
“It has been so fun to go places with these girls and watch them support each other,” says Shayna Wilks, the team’s 4-H leader. “They have fun together, but when you watch them walk into a ring or ringside as they judge, they are very competitive. They each want to win but hope to see each other succeed. They have a tremendous bond – the passion and drive they share is amazing."
Wilks has held practices every weekend since July, focusing on oral reasons and exposing the girls to various types of cattle. The team has traveled to multiple county fairs and took a trip to northern Utah to judge several herds.
Ag Proud – Idaho asked each participant a few questions about their participation in the competition.
Brianna Lopes. Courtesy photo.
Brianna Lopes
Sophomore at Gooding High School
How did you become involved in the dairy industry?
My family owns a dairy farm; I have technically been involved in the dairy industry since birth. My first real love of the dairy industry started when I was around 4 years old, I would go to work with my parents, and I got to be the cow pusher in the milk parlor. I took my job very seriously and have loved dairy cows ever since. A few years ago, I started participating in dairy judging a little bit; I discovered that I was pretty good at it and the more I did it, the better I got – it also helps my animal selection for dairy showing.
What does it mean to you to represent the state of Idaho at the National 4-H Contest?
I am honored to be able to help represent Idaho at the WDE [World Dairy Expo] and participate in dairy judging. I hope to inspire more youth in Idaho to get involved in dairy judging. I am also nervous to compete against some of the top teams in the world!
What are you looking forward to?
I am excited for all the different and new things I am about to experience. This will be my first time flying, my first time showing and judging at the WDE. But I think I am most excited to get to walk through barns full of the best cows and heifers in the world!
Jaycee Guthrie. Courtesy photo.
Jaycee Guthrie
Sophomore at Gooding High School
How did you become involved in the dairy industry?
I got involved in the dairy industry in 2019 when some friends invited me to go watch them show in Twin Falls, Idaho. I enjoyed it so much and told my parents I wanted to do that. 2020 was my first year in 4-H. I joined West Wendell 4-H club and the leader of the club talked me into being on a judging team in 2021. I enjoyed it, and competing at the state level was a lot of fun. I enjoy getting to learn about all the dairy breeds and what each breed has to offer when it comes to conformation.
What does it mean to you to represent the state of Idaho?
Being part of this team going to nationals to represent Idaho is a huge milestone in my dreams. Being able to possibly have the chance to have our team name in the history books for the state of Idaho means a lot to me.
What are you looking forward to?
I am excited about this trip for so many reasons. It has been a dream of mine to go to World Dairy Expo, but I never knew it would be representing Idaho. Going there and being able to compete, meet people I’ve only read about on the internet and see some of the dairies there is going to be so amazing.
I want to thank my family, my 4-H leader and our Idaho supporters for making this trip possible for my team and I.
Jaden Wilks. Courtesy photo.
Jaden Wilks
Senior at ISucceed Virtual High School
How did you become involved in the dairy industry?
I was raised on my grandpa Bruce’s dairy, Stouder Holsteins, which started my dairy interest. I started exhibiting dairy cattle when I was 3 years old and started showing in 4-H at 8 and in FFA at 14. In 2019, I bought my first registered Holstein, whom I still have today as a nurse cow and carrier of embryo calves to further my registered herd of dairy animals. I had the opportunity to exhibit at WDE in 2021 for the first time, where I exhibited a cute Ayrshire winter calf named Fate.
What does it mean to you to represent the state of Idaho?
I am excited to be part of this because I was first-place high individual for the contest this year. In 2023, I was also the high individual and top team in Idaho FFA dairy judging and got to travel to Indianapolis, Indiana. Being able to say I have been top individual and represent Idaho in 4-H and FFA is super exciting.
What are you looking forward to?
I am most excited to go out to Madison and see all the different tours we have set up for judging practices. I am also excited since I also get to exhibit my own cattle out there the same week. I am taking two very special heifers: Rizzo, who I won at the Western Spring National Holstein Show in the calf contest and Wetzel, my first Ayrshire embryo calf.
Kinley Young. Courtesy photo.
Kinley Young
Sophomore at Buhl High School
How did you become involved in the dairy industry?
I got involved in the dairy industry because my family had a sixth-generation registered dairy farm in Washington state. We moved to Idaho last August with 25 of the family’s best cows. I have been competing in dairy judging since I was a junior in 4-H at county fairs and through FFA competitions.
What does it mean to you to represent the state of Idaho?
I hope that being part of the first team in 30 years to judge at WDE will get more kids interested in and involved in the industry and dairy judging.
What are you looking forward to?
I am most excited to experience the high-quality animals that World Dairy Expo has to offer.
The team traveled to Utah State University to practice judging dairy cattle. Courtesy photo.
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