World Dairy Expo welcomes an elite slate of judges tasked to evaluate the finest dairy cattle in North America at the 54th event in Madison, Wisconsin, September 28 through October 2. These sixteen individuals will stand in the center of the Showring placing nearly 2,300 cattle throughout the five-day show. Following is a brief biography of each judge.
International Ayrshire Show
Michael Creek, Hagerstown, Md.., Official Judge
Michael Creek, a member of Palmyra Farm Ayrshires and owner of Palmyra Farm Cheese is no stranger to the Showring at World Dairy Expo. Palmyra has been named Premier Exhibitor of the International Ayrshire Show 11 times and was the breeder of Palmyra Tri-Star Burdette-ET, five-time Premier Sire at World Dairy Expo. Creek also led Palmyra Berkley P Ruth-ET EX-94 to repeat titles as Grand Champion of the International Ayrshire Show in 2017 and 2018. Creek has served as official judge at the 2018 Eastern National Milking Shorthorn Show, 2019 Southern National Ayrshire Show and the 2018 Finland Winter National Show in Seinjoki, Finland. The Director of Operations for Trans Ova Genetics, Creek resides in Hagerstown, Md. with his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Charlotte.
Jamie Howard, Burgessville, Ontario, Associate Judge
Jamie Howard of Burgesville, Ontario is a regional sales manager for EastGen/Semex. Originally from Flemingsburg, Ky., Howard and his brother, Jason, worked together to develop several elite Holstein show animals until his relocation to Canada in 2010. Howard, and his wife, Angela, now operate a small hobby farm under the Howard-View prefix, primarily developing show heifers, including several All-American and All-Canadian nominees. In addition to coaching youth showmanship and 4-H dairy judging teams, Howard has served as a judge at the 2019 North American International Livestock Exposition for the Junior Holstein and Red & White breed shows, the Kentucky and Indiana State Fairs, and the 2018 World Dairy Expo Youth Showmanship Contest. Howard and Angela have three children, Madison, Morgan, and McKenzie.
International Brown Swiss Show
Lynn Harbaugh, Marion, Wis., Official Judge
Lynn Harbaugh of Marion, Wisconsin is no stranger to the colored shavings. An Area Sales Representative for CentralStar Select Sires, Harbaugh has previously placed cattle at World Dairy Expo seven times across nearly every breed show. Harbaugh has also judged cattle internationally at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Canada and a National Holstein Show in Mexico, in addition to state and national shows across the United States. As an exhibitor and breeder, the Harbaugh Family has shown Expo champions, class winners, and has bred or developed nearly 50 All-American or Junior All-American Nominees. In 2020, Harbaugh, along with his wife, Sara, and children, Jacob, Logan, and Madison, exhibited the Junior Champion or Reserve Junior Champion Holstein or Red & White five times at national shows. The Harbaugh family’s winning show cattle are part of a small, elite herd of Registered Holsteins that are bred under the Bella-View prefix.
Phillip Topp, Botkins, Ohio, Associate Judge
Phillip Topp of Botkins, Ohio owns a small herd of 40 registered cows consisting of a variety of breeds along with a fabricating maintenance business, specializing in stainless steel tig welding. Active in showrings across the country, Topp has exhibited many champions at the Ohio State Fair, North American International Livestock Exposition and World Dairy Expo including the 1999 Grand Champion of the International Brown Swiss Show. In 2016, he was awarded the Ohio Young Breeder Award. He served as the official judge of the 2019 International Ayrshire Show and associate judge for the 2016 International Jersey Show at World Dairy Expo. He has also judged in 25 different U.S. states and internationally at the Peru International Brown Swiss Show. Topp and his wife, Carrie, have three children, Aubree, Aiden, and Alaina.
International Guernsey Show
Molly Sloan, Lake Mills, Wis., Official Judge
Molly Sloan resides in Lake Mills, Wis. with her husband, Matt, and their two children, Dane and Claire. Sloan grew up on her family’s registered Holstein farm in Marengo, Ill. She has owned and worked with many elite show animals, including her own All-American Holstein and Red & White nominees. Sloan now works as the Global Director of People Development & HR for URUS Group, a dairy and beef holding company known for its family of organizations including Alta, GENEX, PEAK, Jetstream Genetics, SCCL, and VAS. During her career, she has traveled to 16 countries and throughout the United States to speak about and implement dairy genetic programs. Sloan has officiated dairy shows in 20 U.S. states, including at the 2016 International Ayrshire Show and the 2014 International Junior Holstein Show at World Dairy Expo. She has also judged internationally at major shows in Australia, Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, Peru and Canada, as well as serving on several All-American and All-Canadian judges’ panels for six major breeds.
Glyn Lucas, Annan, Dumfires, Scotland, Associate Judge
Glyn Lucas is the founder of UK Dairy Expo, the leading dairy event in the United Kingdom and one of the top dairy cattle shows in Europe. During his career as a professional dairy cattle fitter, Lucas worked with well-known herds such as Greenlea, Cherown and Browndale, preparing several North American and European Grand Champions and All-American and All-Canadian recipients. Comfortable in the center of the showring, Lucas has officiated at numerous major European dairy shows, including the 2019 National British Friesian Show, the 2017 National Brown Swiss Show and as the associate during the 2018 Swiss Expo Holstein Show. Lucas currently works as an auctioneer, managing dairy sales for a UK livestock company. He and his wife, Hazel, and children, Isaac and Julia, reside in Annan, Dumfries, Scotland.
International Holstein Show
Mike Berry, Powell Butte, Ore., Official Judge
Mike Berry is a former professional dairy cattle fitter and current partner in Robinhood Cattle Company, comprised of elite Jersey, Holstein and Brown Swiss show cattle. Berry has bred, owned and developed many All-American Holsteins, Red & Whites and Jerseys throughout his career. Off the farm, he has judged major cattle shows from coast to coast including the British Columbia Spring Holstein Show, Wisconsin Championship Holstein Show, International Jersey Show, International Red & White Show, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Jersey Show, National Jersey Jug Futurity and the Junior and Open All-American Jersey Shows. Mike lives in Powell Butte, Ore. with his wife, Kristin, and daughter, Morgan.
Tom DeGroot, Rosedale, British Columbia, Associate Judge
Tom DeGroot, owner of T & L Cattle Ltd., has worked with numerous All-American and All-Canadian cattle during his career and has previously served as associate judge of the 2018 International Red & White Show. Most recently, DeGroot worked with Meadow Green Abso Fanny-Red, the 2017 Grand Champion of the International Red & White Show and Red & White Holstein Show at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Due to Fanny’s success in the showring, she was also named the 2017 Red & White Cow of the Year. DeGroot’s involvement with show-winning cattle also includes the 2015 WDE Supreme Champion, Lovhill Goldwyn Katrysha, and Expo class winners, Brackleyfarm Chelios Cheerio, Cache-Valley Lheros 2331, Ehrhardt Gold Beauty and Oakfield GC Darby, to name a few. The 75-cow Holstein herd at T & L Cattle maintains a daily production average of 81 pounds of milk with a 4.4% butterfat test. DeGroot resides in Rosedale, British Columbia with his wife, Laury, and has two grown children, Mike and Karly.
International Jersey Show
Chad Ryan, Fond du Lac, Wis., Official Judge
Chad Ryan resides in Fond du Lac, Wis. with his wife, Amy, and sons, Dylan, and Cameron. There he assists his parents in the day-to-day operations of Ryan-Vu Holsteins, a 100-cow Registered Holstein herd with a BAA of 111.8%. Ryan and his family have bred or developed 40 All-American, Junior All-American and All-Canadian nominees, six of which went on to be named All-American. They have also been awarded the Premier Breeder banner twice at the Wisconsin Championship Show. Along with being active on the farm, Ryan is a former member of the Wisconsin Holstein Association Board of Directors and currently serves on the WDE Dairy Cattle Exhibitor Committee and the World Dairy Expo Board of Directors. He also travels the country working with elite show cattle and genetic offerings at sales and shows. Ryan’s judging resume includes the International Red & White Show, the International Holstein Show, the Northeast Spring National Holstein Show, the Western National Holstein and Red & White Shows, various Midwest national shows and the All-American Jersey and Junior Red & White Shows.
Kevin Doeberiener, West Salem, Ohio., Associate Judge
Kevin and his partner, Lindsay Bowen, call Queens Manor Farm in West Salem, Ohio home. There they farm 1,000 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa as well as acquire, develop and market elite high-type show cattle of all breeds. Doeberiener has seen much success in the showring having owned and exhibited multiple All-American and All-Canadian recipients and nominees and national show champions. Included in this list of show winners are the Junior Champions of the 2013 and 2017 International Jersey Shows, the 2019 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Junior Champion Holstein, and the 2019 International Red & White Show Intermediate Champion. Prior to developing his own cattle, Doeberiener was a professional cattle fitter for 10 years, preparing cattle in several different countries. Doeberiener has officiated many county and district dairy shows and served as the associate judge for the 2019 Ontario Summer Show. Doeberiener also owns K & L Seed Solutions, a corn and soybean sales business.
International Milking Shorthorn Show
Dean Dohle, Pleasant Hope, Mo., Official Judge
Dean Dohle lives in Pleasant Hope, Mo. with his wife, Stacy, and son, Grant, where he owns and operates Starstruck Cattle Co. The farm is home to 45 Jerseys, of which 28 are classified Excellent and 17 Very Good. Dohle owned the 2003 Grand Champion Milking Shorthorn at WDE and has bred All-American nominated cattle in three different breeds. Dohle has judged the National Brown Swiss Show in Mexico along with state and national shows in 27 states in the United States including the International Brown Swiss Show, All-American Jersey Show, National Jersey Jug Futurity, and Eastern National Milking Shorthorn Show. In 2007, Dohle was honored with the A.C. “Whitie” Thomson Memorial Award at Expo and in 2019, was the recipient of the Klussendorf-MacKenzie Award.
Keith Fisher, New Enterprise, Pa., Associate Judge
Keith Fisher and his wife, Donnette, call Hard Core Farm in New Enterprise, Pa. home. There, the couple milks a 60-cow herd of Milking Shorthorns, Jerseys, and Guernseys. Synonymous with showring success, Hard Core Farm has bred and exhibited over 100 All-American Milking Shorthorn nominees and has bred and owned two 96-point and four 95-point Milking Shorthorns and two 95-point Jerseys. Fisher’s success in the International Milking Shorthorn Show includes breeding the 2014 Grand Champion, owning and exhibiting the 2006 and 2009 Grand Champions, and housing and preparing the 2010 Grand Champion. He also played a role in housing and preparing the 1999 and 2000 Grand Champion of the International Guernsey Show. Overall, Hard Core Farm has exhibited a class winner at World Dairy Expo consecutively for the last 15 years. In 2019, Hard Core Farm bred 14 All-American Milking Shorthorn nominees, of which they exhibited 10 in their own string. Fisher serves on the Milking Shorthorn National Sale Committee and the Joint Type & Classification Committee. He has two grown daughters, Ashley and Kristen, and five grandchildren.
International Red & White Show
Pierre Boulet, Montmagny, Quebec, Official Judge
Pierre Boulet lives in Montmagny, Quebec with his wife Katie Coates, where they own Ferme Pierre Boulet. Operating under the Pierstein prefix, the farm consists of 400 Registered Holsteins, Jerseys, Ayrshires, and Brown Swiss. The milking herd maintains a rolling herd average over 22,000 pounds of milk and includes 29 Excellent cows – of which 16 are multiple E – and 75 Very Good cows. Ferme Pierre Boulet has bred 200 Excellent cows and is the only herd in Canada to have two animals classify Excellent 97 on the same day. Some herd favorites include Thrulane James Rose, 2008 World Dairy Expo Supreme Champion and two-time Supreme Champion at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, along with MS Goldwyn Alana and Loyalyn Goldwyn June. Boulet’s herd is an eight-time Premier Exhibitor recipient at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and a Premier Breeder banner winner at both World Dairy Expo and The Royal. Boulet has judged several state, provincial and national shows throughout North America, including the Jersey and Holstein Shows at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Quebec Spring Holstein Show, and California State Holstein Show. He has also officiated at Australia’s International Dairy Week and Agroexpo in Bogata, Columbia. Boulet has five children, Carole-Anne, Sarah-Maude, Charles, Madison, and Katrina.
Richard Landry, Ste-Brigitte-des-Saults, Quebec, Associate Judge
Richard Landry lives in Ste-Brigitte-des-Saults, Quebec with his wife, Nathalie Rousseau, and three children, Felix, Julien, and Corine. Landry works for CIAQ/Semex in sales and has spent several years traveling the world as a professional dairy cattle fitter. Landry has prepared elite show cattle in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Switzerland, Italy and France. Most notably, Landry prepared Thrulane James Rose as she earned her Supreme Champion titles at both World Dairy Expo and The Royal Winter Agricultural for Pierre Boulet. Landry has an extensive judging resume, officiating numerous provincial, state and national shows, including the Jersey and Ayrshire shows at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, the International Brown Swiss Show, the Holstein Canada National Convention Show, the Quebec International Holstein Show, the Supreme Quebec Brown Swiss and Ayrshire Shows, and the Quebec Spring Jersey and Brown Swiss Shows. Landry has also judged national and provincial shows in Brazil, Switzerland, Belgium, and France.
International Junior Holstein Show
Brandon Ferry, Hilbert, Wis., Official Judge
Brandon Ferry resides in Hilbert, Wisconsin with his wife, Shianne, and their two children, Bryleigh and Ryker, where together they own and operate Fer-Crest Farms. Ferry’s 40-acre farm is home to 70 milking Registered Holsteins and Jerseys with a herd BAA of 112.3%. A 2008 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Farm and Industry Short Course with a degree in Dairy Herd Management, Ferry continued as a full-time dairy cattle fitter, traveling throughout North America before starting the farm in 2010. The Ferrys, along with their partner, the Bournes, bred and developed TJ Classic Minister Venus-ET before selling her prior to her title as the 2014 Supreme Champion of World Dairy Expo. Along with serving as the 2019 associate judge of the International Junior Holstein Show, Ferry has evaluated cattle at the National Jersey Jug Futurity, the Midwest Red & White Spring Show, the Wisconsin State Jersey Show, Wisconsin State Ayrshire Show, Wisconsin State Milking Shorthorn Show, and the Wisconsin State Guernsey Show in the United States along with the National Jersey Show in Bogota, Columbia.
Tyler Reynolds, Corfu, N.Y., Associate Judge
Tyler Reynolds resides in Corfu, N.Y. with his wife, Kelly, and daughter, Cannyn. There, he and his wife own and operate Reyncrest Farm in partnership with his parents, John and Shelley, and siblings, Mackenzie and Andrew. The farm is home to a 1,250-head herd of Registered Holsteins with a rolling herd average of 29,500 pounds of milk. They have bred or owned 25 All-American nominated animals. Reyncrest was named the Premier Breeder at the Northeast Spring Holstein Show in 2021 and 2019 and the Northeast Fall National Holstein Show in 2019 and 2018. They also captured Premier Breeder of the Heifer Show and Premier Exhibitor of the Heifer Show banners at the 2019 International Holstein Show. Reynolds and the Reyncrest crew were recently recognized as the 2021 recipient of Holstein Association USA’s Distinguished Young Breeder Award. Reynolds has served as official judge for several state and regional Holstein shows, including the Pennsylvania Spring Show, Wisconsin District 10 Holstein Show, and Western Classic Dairy Show.
