Isaac Nelson, 18, of Sleepy Eye and his four-year-old cow “Beautician” received the Supreme Champion Award. Nelson, the son of Brian and Jill Nelson, has been coming to the show for about a dozen years and said the show continues to interest him.

“There are lots of people from the area and further away,” said Nelson.

Next week, he plans to compete at the State Holstein Show in Jordan.

Nelson said he enjoys raising and showing Holsteins because they give the most milk. He said he spends a few hours four of five days a week, working with his cows. He also competes in 4H and FFA competition.

Alex Schroeder, 9, of Courtland, left; and Madison Sickles, 9, Marengo, Iowa, receive awards at the 18th Annual Southern Minnesota Youth Dairy Show at the Brown County Fairgrounds Saturday. Schroeder was Reserve Junior Champion Showman. Sickles was Champion Junior Showman.

Last August, Nelson and Zach Haala, both Sleepy Eye Student Council members, presented information about adding a milk dispensing machine in the school cafeteria to raise money for the student council.

Nelson said the machine would be provided to the school by a dairy association. The student council would buy milk locally and sell it for a profit of 25 cents for each $1.50 plastic bottle of milk sold.

A 2018 Sleepy Eye High School graduate and Gold Cord honor student, he plans to attend the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and major in animal and computer science this fall.

Alex Schroeder, 9, of Courtland, the son of Jason and Michelle Schroeder, received the Reserve Junior Champion Showman Award. He said it was his third time to compete in the show.

“I just know it’s fun for kids to show,” Schroeder said. “I enjoy being involved in this. I think it’s good for kids to be doing something like this.”

Schroeder said he plans to compete in three or four shows this year.

Other area show exhibitors included Elle Marti, 8, St. Peter; Jacob Schaefer, 15, Fairfax; Charles Schmidt, 17, Hanska; and Talyn, 12, and Kolten Tande, 8, of Madelia.

The New Ulm Farm-City Hub Club hosted the 2018 June Dairy Month breakfast before the show. General volunteers included the Farm-City Hub Club and the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter.

The youth dairy show is operated by a volunteer committee and funded solely through donations.

fbusch@nujournal.com