The 2025 Minnesota Junior All-Breeds Convention took place March 28-30th, 2025, at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Otsego, Minnesota. This convention is held for juniors under 21 who are passionate about the dairy community and the dairy cow. It was a great time to meet new people throughout the state who share a common interest. Youth from across the state of Minnesota joined together on Friday, March 28th for the start of convention- themed Dive into Dairy. The Jeopardy and Public Speaking contests took place on Friday afternoon. Youth enjoyed playing various games and after dinner played Minute to Win it games. The Quiz Bowl Test took place Friday evening. The night ended with free time/ water park time.
Saturday of convention was filled with contests, Skill a thons, water park time, the annual awards banquet dinner, and to conclude a dance. Juniors started the day with breakfast and competed in contests such as dairy quiz bowl. This was their chance to show off their knowledge about the dairy industry. Then the juniors enjoyed lunch, after lunch there was a Skill a Thon Rotation where we had multiple different speakers from the dairy industry come in and speak with the juniors. Later Saturday evening, members dressed up for the annual awards banquet dinner with keynote speaker Crystal Sinn. She encouraged members to “keep dreaming big dreams and believe in yourself when others don’t.” At the banquet this year, each breed association had the chance to come speak to the youth, it was great to hear from the Jersey and Red and White Associations. The juniors were then recognized for their hard work by presenting contest awards to the scholarship winners, production winners, dairy jeopardy participants, dairy quiz bowl teams, and public speaking winners. Tony and Katherine Kohls were awarded the MJHAs Udder Best Award for their dedication and unwavering support of the junior association. The night finished with a dance and other fun zone activities.
Sunday morning convention started to come to a close with breakfast and a business meeting. After the meeting door prizes were handed out and games were played before everyone went home. Overall, it was a great convention with so many great memories and people!
The 2025-2026 board was elected and is listed below.
President: Tyler Ratka
Vice President: Shelby Swanson
Secretary: Blake Siewert
Treasurer: Dan Frericks
Reporter: Alexis Woeste
Historian: Haddie Walter
All-Breeds Liaison: Kamrie Mauer
Director: Henry Salzl
Director: Lanna Walter
Director: Jayden Schmitt
Prepared Public Speaking Junior Division:
1st place: April Schroeder
Prepared Public Speaking Intermediate Division:
1st place: Molly Albers
Prepared Public Speaking Senior Division:
1st place: Shelby Swanson
Folding Display Junior Scientific Division:
1st place: Briecyn Kurth
2nd place: Levi Nelson
Folding Display Junior Creative Division:
1st place: Nora Nelson
2nd place: Lauren Berning
Quiz Bowl Juniors:
1st place: Isaac Albers, Tommy Duhme, Ben Scheffler, Tyler Pieper
2nd place: Molly Albers, Nora Nelson, Briecyn Kurth, Livia Kurth
3rd place: Charlie Nelson, Clare Caughey, Catherine Wehseler, Maddie Hoefs
Quiz Bowl: Seniors
1st place: Kamrie Mauer, Brooklyn Kohls, Charley Keitzman, Lucas Deyle
2nd place: Garrett Waldenburg, Jake Schimek, Emily Mellgren, Ashley Mellgren
3rd place: Tyler Hoscheit, Tyler Turner, Josie Sauder, Addison Turner
Dairy Jeopardy Junior Division:
1st place: Clare Caughey
2nd place: Isabella Raths
3rd place: Isaac Albers
Dairy Jeopardy Intermediate Division:
1st place: Charlie Nelson
2nd place: Ella Lahr
3rd place: Lizzy Lahr
Dairy Jeopardy Senior Division:
1st place: Tyler Ratka
2nd place: Natalie Clemenson
3rd place: Garrett Waldenburg
Junior High Production Award:
1st place – 2nd Lactation: Briecyn Kurth
2nd place – 2nd Lactation: Briecyn Kurth
1st place-3rd Lactation: Livia Kurth
High School Senior Scholarship Winners:
Destin Fier
Dan Frericks
Junior Memorial Scholarship Winners:
Tyler Ratka
Shelby Swanson
Distinguished Junior Member (DJM):
Alexis Hoefs
Junior Star Award:
Natalie Clemenson
Lanna Walter