Standing Out from the Crowd Menendez celebrates award-winning junior career By Danielle Nauman
EDMESTON, N.Y. – Great experiences and meaningful connections are two of the things that Cassie Menendez is taking from her time as a member of the New York Junior Holstein Association. “The connections I have made as a junior have been great,” she said. “Networking is so important, especially in agriculture, and it can take you so many places.” The daughter of Dan and Susan Menendez recently graduated early with a bachelor’s degree in ag business from SUNY-Cobleskill, and is completing an internship with Hudson Valley Fresh, a local milk processing company. She points to the value of the connections she made as a junior member and the part they played in helping her find her position with Hudson Valley Fresh. “I knew my boss from Holstein activities, we have both attended conventions and things like that,” Menendez explained. “That helped open that door for me, and gave us the ability to connect on a more personal level.” She recently celebrated her 21st birthday, ending her time as a junior member. While she is sad to see that chapter of her life close, she is excited what adult membership in the New York Holstein Association may hold for her. “That ability to network certainly does not end with
Rivercross Doorman Alice claimed Honorable Mention Junior AllAmerican honors for Cassie Menendez in 2019, following a third-place finish in the spring yearling class at the International Junior Holstein Show. (Photo submitted) 14 - NYN February-March 2021
Cassie Menendez recently celebrated her 21st birthday, bringing a close to her time spent as a New York Junior Holstein member. Menendez says she is grateful for the connections and network she was able to create through her involvement. (Photo submitted)
my time as a junior,” Menendez said. “I am looking forward to continuing to build on that foundation, being involved as an adult.” She is appreciative of the adults who have served as role models and mentors throughout her youth, and looks forward to the opportunity to be that person for the next generation of New York Junior Holstein members. “I have made it a priority to pay attention to what successful breeders are doing; always asking questions and finding ways to make my own breeding and feeding programs better,” Menendez said. “It is quite easy to make simple interactions great learning opportunities.” She was selected as a 2019 New York Distinguished Junior Member (DJM), a contest in which she relished competing. “I really enjoyed completing the DJM books. There are fewer kids that do it every year, and that is really too bad,” Menendez noted. “It is a great thing to have that title to be able to add to your resume, and you learn so much about yourself, completing the books. I would really encourage all juniors to do it.” During her time as a junior, Menendez enjoyed the competition and camaraderie she found in the show ring, and she is glad to have two great memories from the 2019 show season. One of these was receiving her first Junior All-American nomination in 2019 on Rivercross Doorman Alice, a spring yearling that claimed Honorable Mention honors after placing third in the International Junior Holstein Show at World Dairy Expo. Another favorite show ring highlight came earlier in 2019, as Rivercross Addict Daisy was named the Junior
