News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, October 8, 2011

CONTACT: JANET KELLER, 608-224-6455
OR VIA EMAIL AT: jkeller@wdexpo.com

MINNESOTA'S KAREN ANDERSON WINS 2011 MERLE HOWARD AWARD

MADISON, WISCONSIN – An outstanding dairy judge, leader, and dairy cattle exhibitor, Karen Anderson has won the 2011 Merle Howard Award. The daughter of David and Donna Anderson of Lester Prairie, Minn., Anderson is the eighth person to receive this award. The Merle Howard Award is presented to the top junior exhibitor at World Dairy Expo who demonstrates exemplary skills in fitting, showmanship, and overall passion for the dairy industry.

This 21-year-old she has an incredible judging record taking home not one, but three high individual honors at national dairy judging contests. In 2006, she placed first overall individual at the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, Pa. Three years later, Anderson repeated that that accomplishment by winning high individual at the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo. And last fall, this University of Minnesota student was high individual and also won oral reasons at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky. A gifted leader, Anderson also served as president of the American Guernsey Association junior organization two years ago.

At World Dairy Expo, Anderson showed seven cows and heifers that placed in the top four in her junior breed show during the last four years. Of that group, all but one was homebred. In 2009, this Merle Howard Award winner exhibited the Reserve All American Junior 3-year-old who also captured Junior All American honors when was named Reserve Grand Champion of the National Guernsey Junior Show at World Dairy Expo. This week, Anderson’s homebred fall yearling, Up The Creek Super Lux Kazoom-ET, was named Reserve Junior Champion of the Junior Show by Judge Blaine Crosser.

Above all, this young lady is a hard worker, who fits and prepares her own animals for the show each year. For these and many other accomplishments, this Minnesota native was named the Outstanding National Guernsey Youth last year.

Previous award winners of the Merle Howard Award include: 2004, Robert Teixeira, Turlock, Calif.; 2005, Matthew Mitchell, Lafollette, Tenn.; 2006, Greta Koebel, Three Oaks, Mich.; 2007, Brandon Ferry, Pickett, Wis.; and 2008, Kelly Lee, Johnson Creek, Wis.; 2009 Kyle Natzke, Fond du Lac, Wis.; and Stephanie Aves, Popular Grove, Ill.

Merle Howard was a respected dairy industry pioneer. Winner of the 1954 Klussendorf Award, Howard was a herd manager, Holstein classifier and later a sales and export businessman. Serving on the first National Dairy Shrine Board, he became one of only seven people to receive the 4-E Award for outstanding service.

For more information, contact World Dairy Expo at 608-224-6455 or http://www.worlddairyexpo.com.

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