by Kenni Bores, Ag Correspondent – Aaliyah Borchert, daughter of Adam Borchert and Tracy Schonfeldt, has done what many youth dairy exhibitors only dream of. The 2018 Wisconsin State Fair marked Borchert’s third year exhibiting at the event and her third year coming out on top of her age division in the showmanship competition.
The Wisconsin State Fair hosts one of the largest junior dairy shows in the nation, with over 400 junior exhibitors. Almost all these exhibitors participate in the highly competitive showmanship contest, which is broken down into age brackets. Each age then has three to four heats, and the top five from each heat compete against each other for the top spot in their age division.
After winning her age division, Borchert was overwhelmed with pride and happiness, and was excited to return to the showmanship finals where each of the top showman compete against each other.
Borchert spends months preparing for the contest keeping her animals on a specific routine. “Every day, the show calves are given baths, taken for long walks to train them, fed a specific feeding program, and kept in different housing than other calves. It’s an everyday routine.”
Hailing from her family’s farm, Tree-Hayven Holsteins, a 60-cow dairy in Auburndale, she shows at more than just the Wisconsin State Fair. Borchert has been exhibiting at the Central Wisconsin State Fair her whole life, winning several junior champion awards. She shows at the District 4 Holstein Show every year and has attended World Dairy Expo in Madison several times.
This year has already been a successful year halfway through the show season. Aaliyah and Tree-Hayven Daniel Diem-Red, a red and white Holstein winter calf, won their class at the Midwest National Spring Show, were junior champion of the junior show at the District 4 Holstein Show, and won their class at the Wisconsin State Fair junior show, as well as being named honorable mention junior champion.
World Dairy Expo is one of the highest quality dairy shows in the world and where Borchert has seen great success. “Winning the winter yearling class at the 2017 International Junior Holstein Show in Madison with Tree-Hayven Integral Declan, and then being named Junior Champion Bred and Owned heifer is one of my greatest accomplishments.”
Borchert has also placed in the top ten in the showmanship contest at World Dairy Expo, which ignited one of her goals. She hopes to continue winning her age division at the Wisconsin State Fair and win her age division at World Dairy Expo, which would involve beating over 200 other competitors.
Being involved in more than just showing dairy, Borchert is also a horse showman and athlete. She is on a club volleyball team and last year was ranked sixth in the nation with her Palomino quarter horse Burt.
Aaliyah Borchert is a great role model, accomplishing so much at a young age. Being only 15, winning isn’t even her favorite part of showing; it’s the people she meets, friends she makes, animals she gets to work with and memories that will last a lifetime.
Success for Wood County Dairy Cattle Exhibitors at Wisconsin State Fair
