UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - While the Penn State football team might be nationally renowned, it isn't the only university squad making waves on a national level. Penn State's dairy cattle judging team is also at the front of the herd in their field.

After several weeks of practice, the team comprised of Rachel Bachman, Jennifer Bechtel, Kevin Caldwell and Joel Krall recently placed fourth overall at the National Intercollegiate Contest in Madison, Wis. Led by coach Dale Olver, an instructor in dairy and animal science, the team won first in Ayrshires and Red Whites, second in Jerseys, fourth in Holsteins and oral reasons, seventh in Brown Swiss, and seventh in Milking Shorthorns.

Caldwell placed third overall and was high individual in Ayrshires and second in Red and Whites. Krall placed ninth overall and was second in Ayrshires and sixth in Jerseys. Bechtel placed sixth in Holsteins and Bachman placed 10th in linear evaluation.

In addition, Penn State's second dairy judging team, members of which are likely to compete in Madison next year, captured second place among 18 schools at the North American Livestock Expo Judging Contest.

However, as difficult as it is to place this high, the students also had to undergo an equal amount of testing just to make the team. " We spent four days in eastern Pennsylvania for tryouts," says Olver. " During this period they were tested just like they would be at a competition. Each student is expected to look at several classes of cows and place those classes, after which they also have to defend their placings through oral reasons."

"In addition to the initial tryouts, we went to Maryland over Labor Day weekend to practice more," says Bachman, a Penn State junior. "We also practiced on weekends and presented our arguments for our placing of cattle during the week. Even on the way down to competitions we would stop at farms and hone our skills."

While these activities might seem to be intended only for agriculture majors, Bachman, who is majoring in actuarial science, explains why she finds the team engaging. "I grew up on a farm so a lot of this was something I was just accustomed to," she explains. "However, I feel that the reasoning and argumentative abilities I gained from these competitions will help me in the business world as well. The decision-making abilities I gain here will carry into any field I go into."

Those decision-making skills were severely tested at Madison, where the students competed against 24 other teams in evaluating all seven breeds of cattle. "The competition lasted from about 1 p.m. through 9 p.m.," says Bachman. "We judged the classes in the morning, ate and then we were right back to defend our reasons for placing them like we did. For each defense we were given about 20 minutes to prepare. So the entire day was pretty intense. However, in the end it was incredibly gratifying as well."

All the practice and hard work paid off as the team captured its third top-five placing in the last four years at the national contest.

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EDITORS: Contact Dale Olver at (814) 863-6042 or by e-mail at dro105@psu.edu

Writer: Ryan Szivos Editor: Jeff Mulhollem Penn State Ag Sciences News Phone: 814-863-2719