Youth Feature: Standing Out from the Crowd

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 Cassie Menendez recently celebrated her 21st birthday, 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

Show Junior Champion at the Northeast National Spring Holstein Show in Syracuse, N.Y., after placing third in a strong class of summer yearlings.

An extension of her interest in the show ring was competing in dairy judging. Menendez was a member of the 2019 SUNY-Cobleskill judging team that captured the top spot at national contests at WDE in Madison, Wis., the Pennsylvania All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, Pa., and the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Ky. She achieved individual success in those contests as well, taking the honor of High Individual at WDE and AADS; she also won the Reasons Division of the contest at both AADS and NAILE, and placed second in Reasons at WDE. While her time as a junior is completed, Menendez encourages other youth to get involved early, and to take advantage of as many opportunities as they can. “You might not like doing Dairy Bowl or filling out a DJM book at first, but you could surprise yourself and find out you are actually good at it,” Menendez said. “Regardless of the outcomes, the experiences are worthwhile.” Again she circled back to the importance of making connections and networking, and what involvement in the New York Junior Holstein Association can bring to the plate in the future. “It makes you more appealing as a young adult, to have those experiences to add to your resume. Being a Junior Holstein Member really says a lot about you. It makes you stand out in the crowd.”

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We finished Strong! finished Strong!

Our years with Junior Holstein have come to an end. years

MAPLE DOWNS SOLOMON ELSA EX-92MAPLE DOWNS SOLOMON ELSA EX-92 CROSSBROOK VELOCITY CHELSEA-ET

Reserve Senior Champion & HHM Grand First Junior Division Junior 2 year old North American Open Delaware/Schoharie Summer Junior Show Due in April to Mr. Swagger and has an She has had 4 heifers by Addiction, Pety, Dempsey, & Select. April 2020 Joel daughter

CROSSBROOK VELOCITY CHELSEA-ET

Thank you to all the supporters and volunteers that made all the opportunities possible for Daniel, Kelly, & Cassie, our New York Juniors, especially to the OHM Junior Holstein Club. It’s been great.

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