A total of twenty-two young attendees participated in the Youth Fitting Contest held at this year’s World Dairy Expo, and Levi Banowetz, of Charlotte, Iowa, was this year’s champion in the male division.

The contest, which was open to youth ages 13 – 21, allowed contestants 60 minutes to get their animal to show ready, and judged on the following criteria: Ease of handling equipment, proper clipping technique, proper topline hair grooming, proper blended of hair, proper use of sprays and adhesives, and completeness of finished preparation.

“I grew up on our family dairy farm, milking 300 cows in Eastern Iowa. I started clipping a few years back and this is my 3rd year doing the fitting contest at World Dairy Expo,” said Banowetz in an interview following his win. “Expo offers me a big chance to meet a lot of people, and to me, one of the most important aspects of World Dairy Expo is the connections you can make.”

Learn more in his full interview with Jamie here:
Interview with Levi Banowetz, Youth Fitting Champion

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 World Dairy Expo Photo Album.

Coverage of World Dairy Expo is sponsored by