By SUSAN MYKRANTZ
Ohio Correspondent

WOOSTER, Ohio — Three Ohio dairy youth used the skills they gained in the show ring to advance to the National FFA Dairy Handlers Contest last fall, after winning the state contest during the Ohio Spring Dairy Expo. Kelsey Oakley, placed first at the Expo, followed by Meagan Bolen in second and Marissa Bolen in third.

Oakley, of West Liberty, was a West Liberty-Salem FFA Chapter member. “I have shown Jersey cattle for nine years in 4-H, and open class at the county, state and national levels,” Oakley said. “I have also shown dogs in both the 4-H and open class levels for 10 years (county and state levels) and was involved in FFA and high school athletics, and I am now a student at the University of Findlay.”

Meagan Bolen, Fremont, was a Gibsonburg FFA Chapter member.
“I have shown dairy cows and heifers in 4-H for 10 years and in FFA for four years,” Meagan said. “I have shown at the county, district and state levels. “I have also shown beef feeders for eight years. I am currently a student at Ohio State ATI.

Marissa Bolen, Fremont, is also a Gibsonburg FFA Chapter member.
“I have shown dairy cows and heifers in 4-H for six years and FFA for two years, Marissa said. “I have shown at the county, district and state levels. I have also shown beef feeders for seven years.”

Although Oakley qualified for the national contest in Indianapolis, Ind. during the National FFA Convention, she was unable to attend the competition due to illness and could not miss any more classes.

Meagan and Marissa participated in the FFA judging contest at the Eastern States Exposition, commonly referred to as “The Big E” in Springfield, Mass.
Oakley has participated in the dairy handlers contest in Ohio for two years, while this was the first year for both Meagan and Marissa.

“I decided to participate in the dairy handlers contest because I love to show in showmanship type classes,” Oakley said. “It is a challenge to be given an animal that you have never worked with before and showing it to your best ability. In doing this, I feel that the true skills of the showman are evident.”
Meagan said she thought it would be a fun experience and something new to try.

“I have always loved showing cows and this was my last chance to try for the contest since I was graduating” she said.

For Marissa, the reason was simple. “Our chapter didn’t have enough people for a judging team, so I decided to switch over to handling,” she explained. “I like showing more than judging, so it just made sense to do it.”
Marissa described the contest as a showmanship class without questions about the animal, and its strengths and weaknesses.

Meagan said the FFA members in the dairy handlers contest must wear show whites and are judged on their showmanship, who can work with their animal quickly and correctly, watches the judge and walks the animal slowly and correctly.

“We are judged on how well we show the animal and portray its best qualities,” Oakley said. “We are also judged on how well we use the proper techniques.”
She said the contest is beneficial because it allows FFA members to be involved in a skills competition.

“The dairy handlers contest helps you work on showmanship skills, become more familiar with animals and gives you a chance to work with other breeds besides your own,” Meagan explained. “It is also a chance to meet people from all over the state of Ohio.”

She said the contest benefits participants because it gives them a chance to see the animals from different angles and get the full affect as if it were a typical show.

During the competition, Oakley said  she remained calm and walked slowly while keeping the animal’s head in the proper position set the feet up properly.
“I also watched the judge constantly, yet still made sure that my animal was behaving properly,” she said. “The main thing I did was have fun and have a smile on my face.”

Meagan said the key was to take everything she had learned in previous contests and apply it the animal she was showing.

“I took the things that other judges told me to work on and applied it to the animal that I was showing,” Marissa said.

Oakley said she would encourage younger FFA members to try the dairy handlers contest and get involved in other FFA skills contests because they might not know if they like the activity or not if they do not try it.
“Have fun in what you are doing, whether it is judging or handling, because when you are having fun, the better you will be,” she said.

Meagan added that younger members should give it a shot. “You get more ‘hands-on’ experience in showing,” she said. “It is a way of taking new chances and making new experiences, take every opportunity that presents itself or you will never get that chance again.”

Marissa added she would encourage younger members to try it because the dairy handlers’’ contest is more “hands-on” than judging. “Don’t be afraid to try new things,” she said. “If you always give up on them, you will get nowhere and you will always regret it. Try your hardest, judges like it when it seems like you are working hard.”