ISU Dairy Judging Team

Other ISU Judging Teams

About the Team

The Iowa State University Dairy Judging Team provides an exceptional opportunity for students passionate about dairy judging to refine their skills while competing on a national scale. Renowned for its dedication and excellence, our team consistently ranks among the top in national contests.

Students gain invaluable hands-on experience in evaluating dairy cattle, further enhancing their public speaking abilities, critical thinking, time management, and organizational skills. Beyond competitions, team members benefit from building their personal network by engaging with industry professionals and alumni. The dairy judging team travels throughout the fall semester to various contests in Viroqua, WI; Harrisburg, PA; Madison, WI; Louisville, KY; and Fort Worth, TX.

If you are interested in joining the ISU Dairy Judging Team and becoming part of a tradition of excellence, while taking your passion for dairy judging to the next level, please contact Dairy Judging Team Coach Christen Burgett at cgjacks@iastate.edu.

Please follow the Iowa State Dairy Judging Team on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/IowaStateDairyTeams

Christen Burgett

Christen Burgett, a native of Bismarck, ND, developed her passion for the dairy industry through hands-on experience, showing dairy cattle at both the county and state level. She pursued both her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Animal Science at North Dakota State University. During her collegiate years, Christen actively participated on both the Dairy Judging and Livestock Judging Teams, honing her expertise and competitive edge.

Currently, Christen serves as an Associate Teaching Professor and Dairy Judging Team Coach here at Iowa State University. Christen brings a wealth of experience and deep-seated passion to the Dairy Judging Team. Over the past decade Christen has been instrumental in cultivating a dairy judging program that has been consistently successful on a national level. Her dedication to mentoring students and fostering a collaborative learning environment has helped team members excel in competitions and in their academic pursuits. Christen's commitment to excellence and her ability to inspire and motivate students make her an invaluable asset to the ISU Dairy Judging Program.

Christen resides in Perry, IA, with her husband Russell and their two sons, where they also raise Polypay sheep.

Team Accolades

Year	Event	Location	Results
2026	NACTA Dairy Judging Contest	Normal, Illinois	The Iowa State University Dairy Judging Team took eight students to compete in the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Dairy Judging Contest hosted by Illinois State University in Normal, IL, as part of the 2026 NACTA Judging Conference. The competition team consisted of: Joseph Achen, Mondovi, WI; Jon Chapman, Keyes, CA; Anders Lovstuen, Waukon, IA; and Haley Ronnebaum, Earlville, IA. Individuals judging on behalf of Iowa State were: Chase Dahler, Foley, MN; Tyler Machin, Newton, IA; Bianka Ronnebaum, Earlville, IA; and Kelsey Timp, Ossian, IA. Nine universities were represented at the contest that consisted of five heifer classes and two cow classes. A variety of breeds were evaluated, and the experience was anything but ‘normal’; for the Iowa State University Dairy Judging Team had a clean sweep, winning the reasons division and the contest! In reasons, Kelsey was 9^th, Haley was 4^th, Anders was 3^rd, and Joseph was 1^st. Overall, Haley was the 12^th high individual overall, Anders was 11^th, Kelsey was 9^th, Bianka was 8^th, and Joseph was 1^st! Thus, Iowa State finished 1^st, South Dakota State University was 2^nd, and Purdue was 3^rd.
2025	Annual Vernon County Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest	Viroqua, Wisconsin	On Sunday, September 14^th, 2025, the Iowa State University Dairy Judging Team competed in the 31^st Annual Vernon County Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held at the Vernon County Fairgrounds in Viroqua, WI, along with 10 other teams from across the U.S. Team members included: Jon Chapman, Turlock, CA; Joseph Achen, Mondovi, WI; Anders Lovstuen, Waukon, IA; and Haley Ronnebaum, Earlville, IA. The team placed 3^rd in Brown Swiss and Jon was 4^th. In Guernseys, the team was 1^st and Anders placed 2^nd, Jon was 5^th, and Haley was 7^th. The team finished 4^th in Holsteins with Haley in 5^th and Joseph in 8^th. In Jerseys, the team was 1^st with Joseph placing 2^nd, and Jon was 4^th. In reasons, Anders was 4^th, Jon 7^th, and Haley was 8^thand as a team they finished 2^nd. Lastly, all four team members placed in the top 10 – Haley was 10^th, Joseph was 9^th, Anders was 5^th, and Jon was 2^nd propelling the team to a first place finish!

Year

Event

Location

Results

2026

NACTA Dairy Judging Contest

Normal, Illinois

The Iowa State University Dairy Judging Team took eight students to compete in the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Dairy Judging Contest hosted by Illinois State University in Normal, IL, as part of the 2026 NACTA Judging Conference. The competition team consisted of: Joseph Achen, Mondovi, WI; Jon Chapman, Keyes, CA; Anders Lovstuen, Waukon, IA; and Haley Ronnebaum, Earlville, IA. Individuals judging on behalf of Iowa State were: Chase Dahler, Foley, MN; Tyler Machin, Newton, IA; Bianka Ronnebaum, Earlville, IA; and Kelsey Timp, Ossian, IA. Nine universities were represented at the contest that consisted of five heifer classes and two cow classes.

A variety of breeds were evaluated, and the experience was anything but ‘normal’; for the Iowa State University Dairy Judging Team had a clean sweep, winning the reasons division and the contest! In reasons, Kelsey was 9^th, Haley was 4^th, Anders was 3^rd, and Joseph was 1^st. Overall, Haley was the 12^th high individual overall, Anders was 11^th, Kelsey was 9^th, Bianka was 8^th, and Joseph was 1^st! Thus, Iowa State finished 1^st, South Dakota State University was 2^nd, and Purdue was 3^rd.

2025

Annual Vernon County Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest

Viroqua, Wisconsin

On Sunday, September 14^th, 2025, the Iowa State University Dairy Judging Team competed in the 31^st Annual Vernon County Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held at the Vernon County Fairgrounds in Viroqua, WI, along with 10 other teams from across the U.S. Team members included: Jon Chapman, Turlock, CA; Joseph Achen, Mondovi, WI; Anders Lovstuen, Waukon, IA; and Haley Ronnebaum, Earlville, IA. The team placed 3^rd in Brown Swiss and Jon was 4^th. In Guernseys, the team was 1^st and Anders placed 2^nd, Jon was 5^th, and Haley was 7^th. The team finished 4^th in Holsteins with Haley in 5^th and Joseph in 8^th. In Jerseys, the team was 1^st with Joseph placing 2^nd, and Jon was 4^th. In reasons, Anders was 4^th, Jon 7^th, and Haley was 8^thand as a team they finished 2^nd. Lastly, all four team members placed in the top 10 – Haley was 10^th, Joseph was 9^th, Anders was 5^th, and Jon was 2^nd propelling the team to a first place finish!

Dairy Team History

2025

From L - R: Coach Christen Burgett, Lexi Steffens, Emily Church, Anne Simpson, Coach Mary Fliehler.
2024

L-R: Coach Christen Burgett, Irene Nielsen, Raegan Kime, Naomi Scott, Louis Hamlett, Coach Mary Fliehler.
2023

L-R: Coach Christen Burgett, Torri Burch, Delana Erbsen, Colton Silveira, Madalyn Palmer, and Coach Mary Fliehler
2022

L-R: Amber Engelken, Carly Strauss, Mason Jauquet, Faith Palmer, Coach Mary Fliehler, Not pictured: Coach Christen Burgett
2021

L-R: Coach Christen Burgett, Jessica Schmitt, Anna Hanson, Brianna McBride, Amanda Engelken