Holstein Foundation Honors Youth Contest Winners at National Holstein Convention

Young Holstein enthusiasts put their dairy knowledge to the test during the Dairy Bowl, Dairy Jeopardy, and Dairy Knowledge Exam competitions at the 2026 National Holstein Convention held from June 22 to 25 in Orlando, Florida.

 “After watching youth demonstrate their skills during Holstein Foundation contests in Orlando, it is clear the future of the dairy industry is in strong, capable hands,” said Jodi Hoynoski, Holstein Foundation Programs Director. “National Junior Holstein Convention brings together youth from across the country who are not only passionate about dairy, but also are developing the leadership skills, confidence, and connections that will shape the industry for years to come.”

Seventy-four contestants from 17 states competed in the Dairy Jeopardy competition. The contest is based on the popular television game show and features a wide range of dairy-related questions across numerous categories. The following are the top three individuals in each age division.

Junior Division (ages 9 to 13)
1st: Adley Rahe, Iowa

2nd: Henry Blagg, California

3rd: Clara Benrud, Minnesota

Intermediate Division (ages 14 to 17)
1st: Erin Judd, Massachusetts

2nd: Kyle Ainger, Illinois

3rd: Darby Trent, Wisconsin

Senior Division (ages 18 to 21)
1st: Elsie Donlick, New York

2nd: Mykel Mull, California

3rd: Dan Frericks, Minnesota

Dairy Bowl
In the National Dairy Bowl contest, four-person teams compete in two age divisions: Junior, ages 9-15, and Senior, ages 16-21. The competition was especially intense this year, with a total of 24 teams from 14 states competing across two divisions.

Facing off in the Junior Division championship match were the teams from California and New York. Taking home champion honors were the members of the New York team: Abigail Freier, Eli Donlick, Trent Greenfield, Rory Cornell, and coach Christel Donlick.

Competing on the California team were Abigail Rossow, Kinley Martin, Gianna Machado, Caroline Viera, and coaches Kirsten Areias and Dawn Rocha. Rounding out the top five Junior Dairy Bowl teams were Iowa in third place, Wisconsin in fourth, and New England in fifth.

In the Senior Division, California and Pennsylvania competed for the first-place title. Members of the winning California team included Caleb Rocha, Fernando Valadao, Karley Rocha, Lauren Silveira, and coaches Kirsten Areias and Dawn Rocha.

On the second-place Senior team from Pennsylvania were Chelsea Empet, Madison Soden, Ian Briechle, Aiden Empet, and coach Dr. Mike Kowalewski. The team from New England took home third place, with New York following in fourth and Wisconsin in fifth.

The J. George & Anna Smith Sportsmanship awards are given to one Dairy Bowl team in each division who best exemplifies the principles of courtesy, friendliness, and team spirit throughout the competition. Each team receives a cash award and plaque.

In the Junior Division, the award was presented to the South Carolina team, consisting of Emma Uhall, Brewer Honea, Harris Honea, Sara Ann Crawford, and coach Allison Honea. In the Senior Division, the honor went to the team from New England with members Sydney Bullard, William Bullard, Dominic Crochier, Madalyn Perry, and coaches Nicole Schwab and Madison Knight.

Dairy Knowledge Exam
The Dairy Knowledge Exam is open to any youth attending the National Junior Holstein Convention who want to challenge their dairy expertise with a 25-question written test. Like Dairy Bowl, participants are divided into two groups by age. The top three individuals in each division are as follows.

Junior Division
1st: Adley Rahe, Iowa
2nd: Eli Donlick, New York
3rd: Abigail Yoder, Illinois

Senior Division
1st: Fernando Valadao, California
2nd: Erin Judd, Massachusetts
3rd: Elsie Donlick, New York

Congratulations to all contestants who participated in the 2026 National Holstein Convention! For more information about Holstein Foundation youth programs, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org, or contact Jodi Hoynoski, Holstein Foundation Programs Director, at jhoynoski@holstein.com.