Purdue Dairy Judging Team garners success at recent contest

The Purdue Dairy Judging Team competed in the Western National Collegiate Dairy Judging Contest where the team won several awards on May 14.

The team was awarded 1st Team Overall, 1st Team Reasons, and 1st Team Placings. The individual team members also received several awards. Jackie Mudd earned 2nd Overall Individual, 2nd Placings, and 4th Reasons. 3rd Overall Individual, 2nd Reasons, and 4th Placings was awarded to Evan Coblentz. Alaina Weaver received 4th Overall Individual and 3rd Placings. 1st Reasons was given to Emma Townsend.

A picture of the dairy judging team with their awards. Pictured from left to right are Emma Townsend, Evan Coblentz, Jackie Mudd, and Alaina Weaver. From left to right: Emma Townsend, Evan Coblentz, Jackie Mudd, and Alaina Weaver

Brian Engleking, who recently completed his second year coaching the team, stated, "I am very proud of the effort that this team put into preparing for this contest.  In spite of travel delays, airline cancellations, and a lack of luggage for one night, these four obeyed our first rule, 'Have fun!'"

In Engleking's two years of coaching the Purdue Dairy Judging Team, the team has competed in nine contests. At his first contest after he was hired the team finished in 7th place. Since the first contest, the team has finished in the top five, including winning three times. Brian said one of his highlights as a coach was his first team that competed at the International Intercollegiate contest at the World Dairy Expo. At that contest, the team placed 3rd. That was a great accomplishment for the team as it was the highest finish for Purdue since the 1960s. 

In the fall, the team will compete in what Engleking calls the "Big 3." In September, the team competes at the All-American Dairy Show in Pennsylvania. In October, they will compete at the International Contest at the World Dairy Exposition in Madison, Wisconsin. The final contest will be at the North American International Livestock Exposition, which takes place in Louisville, Kentucky. 

The Purdue Animal Sciences Department congratulates and wishes the team all the best at its future contests this fall.

I stated that when I was hired that I love kids. I love cows. I especially love kids who love cows. I realize that college students are young adults, not kids, but compared to me, they are kids!

- Brian Engleking

Featured Stories

The Ecology of Natural Disturbances class stands in front of the Smoky Mountains.
Disturbance Ecology Comes to Life on Spring Break Trip

Every other year, the FNR 53600/53601 Ecology of Natural Disturbances class takes a spring break...

Read More
The state fair midway, featuring crowds of people and a ferris wheel.
Meet Purdue Animal Sciences' 2026 Indiana State Fair Animal Ambassadors

Meet the Purdue Animal Sciences students educating visitors at Animal Town.

Read More
4 students stand in front of marshall porterfield, all in different space and NASA shirts, one carrying a plastic jug with a white fungus growing over a mycoponics tube inside. Grow tents line the background on each side.
Mushrooms in space: Purdue researchers invent mycoponics to cultivate fungi for Earth, the moon and beyond

Porterfield founded MycoGravity — the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology...

Read More
The bell tower reflecting in a mirrored sign that displays Purdue University’s fight song lyrics.
2026 Hovde Award nominees sought

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Each year, Purdue University recognizes a faculty or staff member...

Read More
Dr. Eva Haviarova receives her SWST fellow certificate in Korea; Haviarova stands with research posters about her work at the SWST conference.
Haviarova Named International Society of Wood Science and Technology Fellow

Eva Haviarova, professor of wood science, has been named a fellow of the International Society of...

Read More
Ag Barometer
After 3 months of decline, farmer sentiment rebounds in July

After three consecutive months of decline, farmer sentiment rebounded as the Purdue...

Read More