Jersey breeders meet in Mercer, Pa.

MERCER, Pa. – Jersey breeders from all over Pennsylvania attended the annual Jersey convention in Mercer, Pa., April 8.
The events included an awards breakfast where top breeders were recognized, youth awards were given and a new Jersey queen was selected.
Sixteen-year-old Kate Booher of New Castle, Pa, was named the Jersey queen.
She has owned Jersey projects for six years and her current herd totals six. She is active in 4-H and the Butler-Beaver County Dairy Club.
She will go on to national competition in November.
Casey Richards, 17, of Port Matilda, Pa., was chosen as the alternate queen.
Youth awards. In youth awards, the junior winner was Andy Theobold; intermediate, Becky Theobold; and senior, Stacey Theobold. The Theobolds hail from Waymart, Pa.
In the scrapbook contest, the two winners were Logan Karchner of Nescopek, Pa., and Stacey Theobold of Waymart, Pa.
Three $200 scholarships were awarded to Jersey youth. Receiving awards were Renee Norman, Liberty, Pa.; Jessica Rose, Lebanon, Pa.; and Christine Wagner, Moscow, Pa.
Service. Two distinguished service awards were presented.
They went to Dave Parkinson, regional fieldman for the American Jersey Cattle Association, and to the Albin Wester family from Jamestown, Pa.
They milk more than 100 Jerseys and have recently branched out into the agri-tourism business with the addition of two cabins on their farm.
Al Wester was also elected as the president of the association for the next three years.
Past president Susan Wicker of Centre Hall, Pa., was recognized for her service over the last three years.
She encouraged members to get to know their Jersey neighbors and volunteered to write a profile in each issue of the area newsletter.
The Young Jersey Dairyman award was presented to Mark and Shannon Gardner, Shan-Mar Jerseys, Muncy, Pa.
The couple is in the process of moving its herd to Dayton, Pa.
Production. Numerous production awards were also given.
All production awards were converted to a two-times-a-day mature equivalent basis.
Craig and Susan Wicker’s Four Springs Farm animals took awards in the senior yearling, junior 2-year-old, senior 2-year-old, junior 3-year-old, 6- and 7-year-olds, as well as the Pennsylvania High Herd award in milk, fat and protein for herds with 8-30 cows.
In the senior 3-year-old category, the winning animal came from the Highland H Farm in Jefferson County.
Sweet Peas Jerseys, Susquehanna County, received the honors in the 4-year-old and 5-year-old categories.
Vanderfeltz Dairy, Susquehanna County, was the winner in the 8- and 9-year-old competition, and Paul and Carolyn Moyer’s Tioga County animal won in the 10 year and over category.
Pennsylvania High Herd award in the various herd size categories were: 31-60 cows, milk and protein, Brian Martin, Berks County; 31-60 cows, fat, Paul and Carolyn Moyer, Tioga County; 61-100 cows, milk and fat, William Yoder, Somerset County; and 61-100, protein, Butterlane Farms, Franklin County.
The final category with 100 or more cows, the winner in milk, fat and protein was Spruce Row Farm, Crawford County, Pa.
Related sale. The evening before the annual meeting, at the Western Pennsylvania Spring Spectacular Sale, 22 Jerseys were sold.
The sale started with a young calf donated by David and Carol Greathouse, Hackline Jerseys, Sandy Lake, with the proceeds to go to Jonny Arrowsmith, Peach Bottom, Pa.
Arrowsmith was injured in a car accident in 2003 and has been in therapy ever since that time.
A total of $1,850 was raised.
The overall average for the sale was $1,781 and the five Pot of Gold animals averaged $1,375.