Clayton County Dairy Banquet Awards

Clayton County has a new Dairy Princess. Avery Lamborn of Luana was crowned at the Clayton County Dairy Banquet on Friday night. Avery is the 18 year old daughter of Mark and Jill Lamborn of Luana.

The Little Miss Squirt is Annabelle Palmersheim. Annabelle is the 9 year old daughter of Patrick and Emily Palmersheim of Farmersburg. The Alernate Little Miss Squirts are Alyvia Postel and Kenslee Zuercher. Alyvia is the 8 year old daughter of Ryan Postel and Lainey German of Garnavillo. Kenslee is the 9 year old daughter of Chris Zuercher and Stefanie Kappes of Luana.

The Junior Dairyman is Brayton Schutte. Brayton is the 8 year old son of Lance and Jonna Schutte of Monona

The Dairy Best Award was presented to the Elkader Pizzeria.

Kirk and Lauren Moser of Colesburg were named the Outstanding Young Dairy Producer. The Distinguished Dairy Producer Award was presented to Doug Schmelzer of Elkader Walt and Judy Wessel of Colesburg won the Senior Dairy Producer Award. The Dairy Appreciation Award went to Tony Goodrich of St. Olaf.

Pictured Front Row Left

Kenslee Zuercher 2025 Alt. Lil Miss Squirt

Annabelle Palmersheim 2025 Lil Miss Squirt

Alyvia Postel 2025 Alt. Lil Miss Squirt

Brayton Schutte 2025 Junior Dairyman

Back Row Left

Cagney Wessel 2024 Lil Miss Squirt

Avery Lamborn 2025 Dairy Princess

Harley Baumler Alt Iowa Dairy Princess

Oaklee Munz 2024 Alt Lil Miss Squirt

CLAYTON COUNTY DAIRY FESTIVAL BANQUET

April 4, 2025

Johnson’s Reception Hall, Elkader

The Clayton County Dairy Banquet was held Friday, April 4 at Johnson’s Reception Hall in Elkader.

SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATIONS

This is the nineth year that Clayton County Dairy Promotion Committee has offered scholarships to support our county’s youth education beyond high school. The winners this year are Keagan Echard, Hailey Gaul, Gavin Holst, Rylynn Shepley and Vaughn Zittergruen.

Keagan Echard is planning to attend Oklahoma State University double majoring in animal science and ag business after she graduates from MFL MarMac in May. Her parents are Nick & Amy Echard of Farmersburg.

Hailey Gaul is planning to attend the University of Dubuque to study environmental science after she graduates from Clayton Ridge in May. Her parents are Tim & Kari Gaul of Guttenberg.

Gavin Holst is a senior at Central. He is the son of Steve & Amy Holst of Elkader. His plans are to attend NICC in Calmar to study ag business.

Rylynn Shepley of Strawberry Point is the daughter of Eric & Stacy Shepley. She is a senior at Starmont and is planning to attend Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa to study Ag Missions.

Vaughn Zittergruen is a senior at Central Community Schools in Elkader. His parents are Gabe & Andrea Zittergruen of Elkader. His plans are to Iowa State University to earn a degree in agriculture.

AWARD PRESENTATIONS:

1. DHIA PRODUCTION BLUE RIBBON ROSETTES

2024 Qualifiers: Herd owners whose production average for either milk, fat, protein, or combined fat & protein

             are at the state breed average for the year January 1 to December 31, 2024 and completed 6 DHIA tests.

Qualifying Level:

MILK FAT PROTEIN CFP

Ayrshire 19,513 788 630 1,418

Brown Swiss 21,593 895 736 1,631

Guernsey 17,887 793 604 1,397

Holstein 25,911 1074 827 1,901

Jersey 17,629 883 654` 1,537

Milking Shorthorn 20,922 728 633 1,361

Mixed 21,546 934 721 1,655

Recipients: #COWS MILK FAT PROTEIN CFP

Brown Swiss:

Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader 15 28,196 1101 943 2044

Holstein:

Scott & Suzy Hilgerson, Elkader 61 26,042 963 792 1755

Anderegg Farms, Inc., Guttenberg 174 27,915 1089 864 1953

Wesselcrest, Greeley 313 28,027 1302 977 2279

Terry Lenth, Luana 114 28,459 1185 895 2080

Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader 240 32,524 1184 1010 2194

Milking Shorthorn:

Matt & Trent Henkes, Luana 12 20,355 759 621 1380

Mixed Herds:

Tim & Kari Gaul, Guttenberg 90 26,023 1012 821 1833

Robert Brandt, Postville 114 22,467 927 765 1692

2. HIGH HOLSTEIN HERD FOR MILK & C.F.P. AWARD

Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader 32,524 LBS. Milk

3. HIGH HOLSTEIN HERD FOR MILK & C.F.P. AWARD

Wesselcrest, Greeley 2279 Lbs. C.F. P.

4. HIGH HERD FOR MILK & C.F.P. FOR COLORED BREEDS

Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader 28,196 Lbs. Milk 2044 Lbs. C.F.P.

5. HIGH HERD FOR MILK & C.F.P. FOR MIXED HERDS

Tim & Kari Gaul, Guttenberg 26,023 Lbs. Milk 1833 Lbs. C.F.P.

6. MILK QUALITY AWARD 

Larry, Liane & Jasen Thompson, Monona 114,033 SCC

7. HIGH 305 DAY MILK RECORD

Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader #940 Holstein 44,679 Lbs. Milk

8. HIGH 305 DAY C.F.P. RECORD

Wesselcrest, Greeley Thunder Holstein 3354 Lbs. C.F.P.

.

9. HIGH 305 DAY MILK (colored breeds)

Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader #960 Crossbred 36,069 Lbs. Milk

          10. HIGH 305 DAY C.F. P (colored breeds)

Tim & Kari Gaul, Gutenberg #762 Crossbred 2510 Lbs. C.F.P.

11. 200,000/7,000 LB. LIFETIME PRODUCTION CLUB AWARDS

     The Clayton County Dairy Promotion Committee initiated a system 36 years ago of recognizing producers

with cows that produced in their lifetime 200,000 pounds of milk and/or 7,000 pounds of fat. Since 1986

there have been 485 cows enrolled in the club. 25 more cows achieved those lifetimes production totals

since last year's awards presentation.

1. Anderegg Farms, LLC, Guttenberg 143 42WLJ0203 Holstein

2. Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader 914 42WLK4914 Holstein

3. Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader 470 42WLK4470 Holstein

4. Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader 422 42WLC3822 Holstein

5. Bergan Dairy, LLC, Elkader 400 42WLC3900 Holstein

6. Kent, Bryon & Sandra Franks, St. Olaf Mayflow 72873082 Holstein

7. Chad & Erin Hunt, Elkader Dotzy 59296069 Holstein

8. Todd Johnson, Guttenberg 2146 144074837 Holstein

9. Todd Johnson, Guttenberg 1889 142968633 Holstein

10. Terry Lenth, Luana O-998 42THD1892 Holstein

11. Jason Mueller, Strawberry Point Viginia 42WLD1536 Crossbred

12. Megan Rochleau, McGregor Ethel 68043478 Guernsey

13. Larry, Liane & Jasen Thompson, Monona T-Ploy 42WLK4033 Holstein

14. Wesselcrest, Greeley Tactic 74072154 Holstein

15. Wesselcrest, Greeley Lotus 74072122 Holstein

16. Wesselcrest, Greeley Mutual 3133392705 Holstein

17. Wesselcrest, Greeley Mojito 3139904398 Holstein

18. Wesselcrest, Greeley Mesa 3133392641 Holstein

19. Wesselcrest, Greeley Marissa 72980062 Holstein

20. Wesselcrest, Greeley Malice 74072141 Holstein

21. Wesselcrest, Greeley Maggie 71114937 Holstein

22. Wesselcrest, Greeley Madyn 3133392653 Holstein

23. Wesselcrest, Greeley Labella 3133392658 Holstein

24. Wesselcrest, Greeley Fairy 3133392639 Holstein

25. Wesselcrest, Greeley 911 72980027 Holstein

          12. DAIRY APPRECIATION AWARD

The Clayton County Dairy Promotion Committee annually honors a person or business that supports the dairy industry. Winner: Tony Goodrich, St. Olaf

Tony Goodrich became involved with the Clayton County Dairy Promotion Committee when his daughter Crystal was Little Miss Squirt in 2018. He and his family enjoyed the summer of parades and promoting dairy products. After that the rest is history. Tony and his family are a driving force in the Dairy Promotion Committee. In 2021 he was elected president of the Clayton County Dairy Promotion Committee and started helping manage the Dairy Bar at the county fair that summer. Tony has also served as vice-president and is currently the secretary of the Clayton County Dairy Promotion Committee. Tony is the food coordinator for the dairy banquet. At the 2019 Dairy Banquet Tony & Jamie were honored as the Outstanding Young Dairy Producers. Dairy promotion is truly a family affair with his wife Jamie and their children Crystal and Christian. We sincerely appreciate everything Tony has done and are looking forward to working together in the future.

          13. OUTSTANDING YOUNG DAIRY PRODUCER AWARD

The Outstanding Young Dairy Producer Award is a sincere effort to honor young dairy producers who have achieved excellence in managing their dairy enterprise and have contributed leadership in the dairy industry and their communities. Nominees must be 40 years of age or younger to be eligible. This award is given in memory of Virgil Kregel. Winner: Kirk & Lauren Moser, Colesburg

This year’s young dairy producer started farming at a young age. When he was a senior in high school, he was approached by this great uncle to rent his farm. He farmed several years while attending Kirkwood Community College driving back and forth every few days. After graduating from Kirkwood, he became more involved in the family operation. The operation includes 245 acres with an additional 40 acres rented. Currently the family milks 100 Holstein cows with robots. Cows are fed TMR and their milk is marketed through Prairie Farms. The herd averages 24,000 lbs. of milk with a 4.25 % butterfat and 3.35 % protein. They also have 65 beef cows, 75 bottle calves, and 200 steers on feed. Kirk and his wife Lauren are the parents of children- Tate, age 3 and Tyce one year old.

           14. DISTINGUISHED DAIRY PRODUCER AWARD

The Distinguished Dairy Producer Award honors dairy families and individuals who have achieved excellence in managing their dairy enterprise while contributing leadership to the dairy industry and their communities. Honoring these outstanding producers serves as a tribute to the time and effort they have put forth in advancing the dairy industry. Winner: Doug Schmelzer, Elkader

Distinguished Dairy Producer Award winner is Doug Schmelzer of Elkader. Doug has been dairy farming for over 35 years. He started farming with his parents and eventually took over the farming operation from them. The operation includes 280 acres with an additional 330 rented. Currently he is milking 60 Holsteins in a 52 tie stall barn. Cows are fed a TMR consisting of haylage, corn silage dry corn and protein. Milk is marketed through AMPI. The herd is 100% AI bred. Doug has two part-time employees to help with milking and feeding calves.

          15. SENIOR DAIRY PRODUCER AWARD

The Senior Dairy Award honors individuals who have provided outstanding support to the dairy industry and producers. Winner: Walt & Judy Wessel, Colesburg

This year’s Senior Dairy Producer Award goes to Walt and Judy Wessel of Colesburg. After graduating from high school, Walt continued farming with his family and in 1980 Walt and Judy were married. The hogs were sold and a new dairy barn was built for 30 cows. Over the years they expanded with additions to the barn which totaled 80 stalls. They eventually began switching cows and also ran a cow/calf operation and finished out all their steers. When Brent and Jason graduated from Iowa State, they returned home to farm with their parents. Over the years they purchased several high genomic cows to add value to their herd. They began a flush program and have sold embryos and offspring world-wide. In 2011 they decided to add 2 Lely robots and a new free stall barn. They continued to milk in both facilities and before long, both facilities were full again. In 2020 they added 2 more robots, more stalls, an automated feeding system called Lely Vector, and a dry cow calving area to the robot barn. In 2022 they quit milking in the tie stall barn and converted it to newborn calf pens. Currently, all 280 cows are milked robotically. They also sell registered Holstein breeding bulls and farm about 900 acres.

Walt is an active member of the County, District and State Holstein Associations. He has served on all three boards and has spent the last two years as President of the Iowa Association. He has chaired the Iowa State Sale Committee for several years and has been elected as a delegate to represent Iowa at the National Holstein Convention. Most recently, he has been the driving force in planning and taking bus trips to visit high profile Holstein herds in Wisconsin and Illinois. The family has hosted judging workouts, county barn meetings and the Iowa State Holstein Picnic.

Walt and Judy are members of the Clayton County Dairy Promotion Committee. Their family has worked in the Dairy Bar at the fair and the last two years, Walt and Judy have been busy escorting their granddaughters, Cambrie and Cagney to the many functions that they have attended as Clayton County Little Miss Squirts, especially driving them in parades and taking them to sell dairy bar coupons.

Walt has served on the Three Rivers FS board and as a trustee for Mallory Township. They attend church at St. Mark’s in Edgewood. Brent and Stacy have 5 children: Kaden, Elliana, Aspen, Cambrie and Cagney and Jason and Stephanie have 3 children: Meril, Haskel and Adah.

The first 40 acres of the Wessel farm was purchased in 1862. The farm was designated a Heritage Farm in 2013. Brent and Jason’s kids are the 6th generation to call Wesselcrest Farms their home.

16. DAIRY BEST AWARD

The Dairy Best award is presented annually to an eating establishment in Clayton County that does an outstanding job of serving real dairy products to the public. Winner: Elkader Pizzeria

Whether you are in the mood for a hot pizza or some ice cream, this year's Dairy Best award winner will be able to fill that void. This year's Dairy Best winner is the Elkader Pizzeria which is located at 127 N. Main right here in Elkader. The Elkader Pizzeria is owned by Bryton Rentschler, and he has run the business since May of 2018. The Pizzeria uses numerous dairy products such as sour cream on the taco and buried taco pizzas, to butter in their homemade cakes and cookies for their ice cream novelties, and also who can forget about a glass of ice-cold milk with their meal. They also use over 5 cases of cheese a week, and who can forget about the ice cream cabinet always being stocked with at least 12 flavors of premium Chocolate Shoppe ice cream at any time. Congratulations again to Bryton and the staff at Elkader pizzeria for supporting the dairy industry.

ROYALTY CONTEST 2025

Junior Dairyman-

Brayton Schutte, Monona

Parents-Lance & Jonna Schutte

Sponsor- Olson Hoof Trimming

Little Miss Squirt

Little Miss Squirt- Annabelle Palmersheim, Farmersburg

Parents- Patrick & Emily Palmersheim

Sponsored by: K &C Feeds, Kevin Nuehring

Little Miss Squirt Alternates-

Alyvia Postel, Garnavillo

Parents- Ryan Postel and Lainey German

Sponsor-Meyer Collision and Service Center

Kenslee Zuercher, Luana

Parents- Chris Zuercher and Stefanie Kappes

Sponsor- Zuercher Trucking and Wapsie Valley Creamery

Dairy Princess

Avery Lamborn, Luana

Parents- Mark & Jill Lamborn

Sponsor- Farm Bureau Financial Services, Brock Lamborn. Agent