The New York Jersey Cattle Club has a very active junior club. Youth under the age of 20 are eligible for membership, which is free.
They gather for their annual meeting in conjunction with the adult club's annual meeting. This year, the meeting was held during All American festivities in Louisville, KY, in November.
Through membership in the club, juniors can earn laurels in a state-wide production contest and a youth achievement contest and receive scholarships to fund college. A Jersey queen is crowned at the annual meeting or the summer picnic.
Lone Pine Nighttrain Lulu
2023 Junior National Grand Champion
Mason Zimba, Durhamville
Z-Class CC & Cranberry Juice-ET
Reserve Junior All American Spring Heifer Calf
Mason Zimba, Durhamville
Z-Class Kid Rocks Greatest Hit
Reserve Junior All American Fall Heifer Calf
Mason Ziemba, Durhamville
Roc-N-Roll Surreal-ET
Reserve Junior All American Milking Yearling
Lauren Reed, Mount Morris
JX Whitdale Velocity Gale {6}
Reserve Junior All American Senior Three-Year-Old
Grace DePew, Argle
Cowbell Casino Dorsay
Reserve Junior All American Four-Year-Old
Chase Rozler, Canton
Genesis Excitement Darby
Reserve Junior All American Aged Cow
Grace DePew, Argyle
Applications for the achievement contest, scholarship and queen contest are available by clicking on the links at the bottom of the page. The deadline each year is early July. Directions for submission are included on each application.
New York juniors also compete for prizes in the show ring at local shows and the New York Spring Carousel, the New York State Fair and The All American Jersey Show.
National Level Achievements
New York juniors have represented their state well in competitions at the national level in recent years.
Kylie Margaret Lehr, Canastota, won the top prize in the 2023 Pot O’Gold Production Contest with Dutch Hollow Dashiell Honest. Chelsie Fuller, Newark Valley, won the 2022 National Jersey Youth Production Contest with Rog-Al Casino Pippa. “Pippa” also won the Pot O’Gold Production Contest in 2021.
Other New York junior who placed in the 2022 National Jersey Youth Production Contest were Anna C. Chittenden, Schodack Landing, Zachary S. Chittenden, Schodack Landing, and Elizabeth Hyman, Adams.
In 2023, Kathryn Marie Bosley, Malone, won the largest scholarship awarded by the national Jersey organizations, the Russell-Malnati Scholarship for Advanced Studies. Meganne Chapman, Cattaraugus, was named first alternate in the National Jersey Queen Contest.
Several juniors have also won the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest. Lydia Chittenden, Schodack Landing, won the contest in 2021. Emily Chittenden topped the contest in 2015 and Cassandra Chittenden earned top laurels in 2011. Rebecca Ferry, Johnstown, won the contest in 2002.
Mason Ziemba, Durhamville, second left, was named Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor of the heifer show at the 2023 All American Jersey Show.
Kylie Margaret Lehr, Canastota
Chelsie Fuller, Newark Valley, and Rog-Al Casino Pippa
Meganne Chapman, Cattaraugus
Kathryn Marie Bosley, Malone
Previous National-Level Achievements
Ryan Lawton, Newark Valley, won the 2017 National Jersey Youth Production Contest with Lawtons Plus Vanna {6}.
Lydia Chittenden, Schodack Landing, won the 2021 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest. She was featured on the cover of the September 2022 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Emily Chittenden, Schodack Landing, won the 2015 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest. For winning the contest, she was featured on the cover of the September 2016 issue of the Jersey Journal.
Cassie Chittenden, Schodack Landing, won the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest in 2011. She was featured on the cover of the September 2012 issue of the Jersey Journal.