The Modesto Junior College Dairy Cattle Judging team took home the top spot in their division at the 43rd Annual Invitational Youth Dairy Cattle Judging contest held Sept. 19 at the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, Pa.

On Sept. 17, MJC earned the “Big E” in Springfield, Mass., where it stomped rival Southern University of New York by 30 points. MJC swept first, second, third in oral reasoning. Turlockers Natalie Sanders and Monica Soares fared well at the All-American contest. Sanders earned third place and Soares finished a respectable seventh.

The two victories afforded MJC a ticket to Madison, Wis. and the national contest.

“This program has been around since the late 1960s and it is a big tradition. We create a lot of jobs for students who can accurately judge livestock,” said MJC Professor of Dairy Science Bill Hobby.

According to Hobby, Stanislaus County is the third largest dairy producing county in the United States. “Our program is very strong, the students have the desire and passion to learn about cows and they love to compete. We have a lot of good cows to look at here and we know our cows,” added Hobby.

To contact Jonathan McCorkell, e-mail jmccorkell@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2014.