Before the Banner - Dairy Showman Workshop

07/31/2026

This is what it is all about. Making lifelong friendships in an industry full of the best people, while supporting our youth to find their story. Building confidence, lifetime leadership skills and enabling them to show up for each other. All Before the Banner Participants, show us your "why" moments too. PS. We love you too Vicki. :-)

It’s after 10PM.
Do you know where your kids are?

To say that I love this picture is an understatement. While I (Victoria Baker) am at home doing paperwork for The Red Shed, I got this text. Thanks Katie for the picture 💛🐮
It’s not just a picture of Clara clipping her Sr 2 year old Dairyman MB C Prim-TW

I love that Clara is old enough to do alot of the Fayette County Fair clipping on her own. I love that all of our MBF kids gained confidence at the Before the Banner - Dairy Showman Workshop in May. I love that Clara has already clipped her brothers calf today because he is working at his welding job and isn’t home yet.

I love that Clara is showing Kitlyn and allowing her to help. I love that Kitlyn is learning too.

I love that Bryton is “happy” and is watching. I love that he can say that he is happy because when he first started coming here, he couldn’t even say mom or dad. He is autistic and just sat and watched cows and they made him happy.
I love that through the Pennsylvania 4-H - Fayette County and American Guernsey Association lease programs that he can show cows and firmly believe that the Guernsey cow has been just the therapy that he needs.
I love the first calf that he showed, Dairyman MB C Car Cruise, and love that Clara will be able to get her out again this year. I love that she is recently fresh and even though she had twins, she is looking good and will be ready for fall.

I love the cow in this picture too. Prim looks good and works hard and Clara has her winter calf Prom to show this year. Prim was shown by our summer intern Sara Lynn a few years ago. Shortly before this picture came through she messaged me. We love our interns, including this years intern, Hayden Fry who was finishing up chores so that the kids could clip.

I love that we have been able to develop both Prim and Car, and that even though we did not breed them, they were born here and we bought them in utero when we purchased their dams from Hoards to grow our herd so that we could producer more Golden Guernsey milk for Naturally Golden Family Farms.

I love the Guernsey cow and all that she has provided and I love that we are able to share these cows (and their great products) with others.

And if you have read this full post, I love you too and am thankful that you are following along and sharing our journey. Come see us next week at the fair, or visit us at the farm.

05/26/2026

We would like to introduce our veterinary instructor for the day: Dr. James Osborne DVM!!!
Originally from the Southwestern corner of Virginia, Dr. Osborne graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Dairy Science with Honors and received his D.V.M. from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992. Dr. Osborne joined Millerstown Veterinary Associates in 1996. His primary interests include bovine reproduction and dairy production medicine. Companion animal interests include therapy of skin and ear conditions and parasitology. He lives in Pfoutz Valley with his wife Renie and their daughter Katie. We thank Dr. Osborne for lending his expertise to our panel for the day!

05/23/2026

Let's thank one of our sponsors! Thank you to H & S Dairy Consulting and Snider's Elevator Inc! They generously provided feed for our champions. Thank you for your generous gift!!!!!

05/22/2026

Meet our second fitting expert: Taylor Wolfe! Taylor Wolfe grew up on her family dairy farm in Northumberland County Pennsylvania. She was an active member of the Junior Holstein Association, participating in shows at the local, state, and national level. Taylor was a member of a Nationally winning quiz bowl team, and has been recognized as a Distinguished Junior Member. Taylor is a 2020 graduate of Penn State university where she majored in animal science. She is currently employed by Daniel Baum Co. providing sales and technical support for their line of animal health products, including First Arrival, Last Stand, and the Lira Gold product line.

05/22/2026

We would like to introduce our fitting experts for this year's Before the Banner. First is Doug Boop! Doug’s foundation in the dairy industry was shaped through deep involvement in the Pennsylvania Holstein Association and Holstein USA youth programs. Known for professionalism, maturity, and a methodical approach to improvement, he built a reputation as someone who consistently delivered in leadership, competition, and cattle care.
As a junior member, Doug earned multiple Junior All-American nominations and secured several Grand Champion titles at national junior shows, demonstrating both technical skill and consistency in the showring. He also achieved multiple State Dairy Bowl and Dairy Jeopardy championships, representing Pennsylvania on the national stage in both contests. His technical depth was further recognized with a 2nd place finish in the Dairy Knowledge Exam.
Doug’s sustained excellence led to recognition as both a State and National Distinguished Junior Member, one of the highest honors available to youth in the Holstein breed. In 2016, he received the Judy Collinsworth Outstanding Youth Award, honoring his leadership, character, and service. That same year, he earned the World Dairy Expo Merle Howard Award, recognizing exceptional herdmanship, sportsmanship, and industry promise.
More important than any award, however, was the exposure to agriculture at all scales and the relationships formed along the way. These connections have proven to be the single greatest asset to Doug’s professional success.
At Penn State University, Doug continued to build on his youth foundation. He played a key role in the Nittany Lion Fall Classic, assisting with animal selection, organization, fitting, and cattle care for the sale.
He also represented Penn State in ADSA Quiz Bowl, competing against top collegiate teams from across the country.
Doug graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and a minor in Agribusiness Management, blending technical livestock expertise with business and economic training.
Following graduation, Doug spent four years traveling across the country working sales, shows, and major events. During this time, he developed a strong reputation for preparing cattle, managing show strings, coordinating crews, and ensuring high level ex*****on at sales and exhibitions. These experiences sharpened his skills in logistics, communication, and hands on cattle management. During this time he continued to acquire, develop, and breed Holstein genetics under the Heart & Soul prefix along with his family. Most notably J&K-Vue Goldwyn Glamour 3E-96, acquired from his grandparents herd, and Cherry-Lor Ladd Ripple 2E-96 owned in partnership with Hembury Family.
He later expanded into sales and technical support roles, gaining experience in customer service, product training, and on farm advisory work.
Today, Doug combines all of these skills in his work as an independent dairy nutrition consultant, helping producers improve performance, efficiency, and long term sustainability through practical, data driven nutritional strategies.

04/07/2026

Last chances to sign up for the workshop. We are getting close to our goal here in our second year! Please share this with a young person who could benefit from a hands-on learning experience surrounded by experienced experts in the industry. We are working hard to have volunteers to help the whole day! Please sign up here or use the QR code in the graphic! See you all soon! https://forms.gle/pVtGdqZYgAUuqDfS6

03/31/2026

Meet our 2026 Nutrition Specialist!!! Aaron Cornman of Gardners, Pennsylvania, is a fifth-generation dairyman whose life and career have been deeply rooted in the dairy industry. A graduate of Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science, Aaron distinguished himself early on by winning the prestigious dairy judging contest at World Dairy Expo in 2005.

Aaron has built a strong reputation in the show ring, judging dairy cattle across seven states and extensively throughout Pennsylvania. He has also served as an official for numerous national judging contests, earning respect for his keen eye and industry knowledge.

Alongside his wife, Lisa, Aaron owned and operated a successful dairy herd for 11 years, achieving an impressive BAA of 110.5. During that time, they bred and developed multiple All-PA and Junior All-PA animals, as well as a Red & White Junior All-American. Following their herd dispersal in 2017, Aaron transitioned his expertise into dairy nutrition.

For the past eight years, Aaron has worked as a nutritionist with Cargill, continuing to support and advance the dairy industry. Today, he and his family including their son, Ben, maintain a small herd of show cattle and remain actively involved in raising high-quality show heifers.

02/25/2026

We would like to introduce one of our experts for the 2026 Before the Banner workshop to be held May 31st. This year’s Showmanship instructor is Katie Shultz, a respected cattlewoman and industry professional with a proven record of excellence in the show ring and beyond. Katie resides in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, with her fiancé Brian Reichard and their son, Brock, where they co-own Shocking Genetics and Shultz Cattle Company.

Together, their programs have earned 41 All-American and Junior All-American nominations across the Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, and Milking Shorthorn breeds. Katie is also widely recognized for fitting and boarding numerous local, state, and national champions.

Beyond the show ring, Katie travels extensively throughout the United States and Canada as a key team member of Cowbuyer.com, a leading marketplace and marketing firm that connects purebred and commercial producers across the livestock industry. Her judging résumé includes numerous local shows, serving as the 2025 World Dairy Expo Senior Fitting Judge, and being honored with the 2024 Richard Caverly Memorial Dairy Award. Thank you Katie for joining us this year and we are so excited to learn from you!

Please see this link to register! https://forms.gle/322E2fWzfdwCtGXr9

01/28/2026

Here are some FAQ's that may come up. Please reach out to us personally if you don't find an answer here. We want to support you as much as we can to get you here!

Click here to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJeZ0LHkHz-pWFxsLYxFaqUW63QzgxE0Tln2SPb6XwXWxvCg/viewform?usp=header

01/28/2026

Get Ready for Before the Banner 2026! 🎉

Join us on May 31st for Before the Banner 2026! Click on the link below. We will post FAQ's here on Facebook as well. Please reach out with any question or concern. We look forward to seeing you!

Stay tuned to see who's joining us this year as instructors!

CLICK BELOW TO REGISTER
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJeZ0LHkHz-pWFxsLYxFaqUW63QzgxE0Tln2SPb6XwXWxvCg/viewform?usp=header