Washington’s 4-H Dairy Judging Team poses for a photo. From left: coach Lonny Schilter, Karsen Morris, Zachary Schilter, Daesha Ali, Alicia Smaciarz, and advisor Lana Smaciarz.
There is no doubt that Washington has a robust dairy culture.
Just look around. There are cows everywhere.
But when it comes to the highly competitive world of national 4-H championships, the Evergreen State has had a tough time rising to the top.
This year was different, though. In early October, Washington’s 4-H Dairy Judging Team, comprised of three alumni of the Curtis Valley Cattle Club in Boistfort, spent a week in Madison, Wisconsin, for the 4-H National competitions at the World Dairy Expo and came home with a highly coveted top-10 ranking. That ninth-place finish was just the fourth time in the last 30 years that a Washington team has earned a top-10 ranking in the nation. The impressive performance included a first-place finish in the placing component by Onalaska High School senior Karsen Morris.
“I don’t really think anybody was expecting the Washington team to even be anywhere near the top,” said Morris, who also serves as Lewis County’s alternate Dairy Ambassador. She says that other states such as Wisconsin and New York have a more entrenched 4-H tradition in their areas and that has resulted in continued dominance on the national stage over time.
“The Washington team just kind of goes for it,” said Morris with a laugh. “It was just great to see all of our hard work pay off.”
Washington’s 2017 4-H Dairy Judging Team consisted of Morris; Alicia Smaciarz, of Menlo, who served as the Washington State Dairy Ambassador; Zachary Schilter, of Adna, who finished 10th in the placing contest; and Daesha Ali, from Lake Stevens. The team was coached by Lonny Schilter.
Morris’ first-place finish in the placing portion of the competition is thought to be the first top finish by a Washingtonian in history, and her combined scores earned her All-American status with a personal ranking of 22nd in the nation.
“That was pretty surprising,” said Morris, who has been active in 4-H for nine years since joining in the third grade.
“I’ve always grown up around cows, and so when I got my own cow, we decided I should join 4-H so that I could show cows,” explained Morris, whose family always keeps a few cows. She is currently employed with Iverson Dairy Farms and says she is acutely familiar with the working end of a shovel and a pitchfork.
Morris noted that she, Schilter and Smarciarz have all been active in the Curtis Valley Cattle Club over the years, and so they were naturally familiar with their teammates and mentors for the national competition.
“We all kind of grew up together showing cows,” noted Morris. She says the 4-H community at large makes it easy to meet new friends and then reunite at various functions.
“The National Holstein Convention was in Seattle this year, so we knew a couple people at the national contest,” said Morris.
Although she’s coming up on the end of her 4-H career, Morris is adamant that she will remain active in agriculture one way or another.
“Cows will always have my heart. I’m probably at least always going to have my own cows,” said Morris, who added that she plans to become an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor once she graduates from college.
Additional information on Lewis County 4-H can be found online at http://extension.wsu.edu/lewis/4h/.
