Special Iowa Dairy Princess Edition
An advocate from the start
Elsbernd promotes dairy industry throughout her reign
By Sarah Middendorf
sarah.m@star-pub.com
CALMAR, Iowa — Ashley Elsbernd has been an advocate for the dairy industry since the fourth grade. The 70th Iowa Dairy Princess said her passion for dairy has pushed her to make a difference in the industry.
“I always liked the thought of getting to talk about what I do on my farm, what the best parts of dairy are, and clear up some misconceptions,” Elsbernd said.
Growing up on her family’s dairy farm near Calmar helped her grow her appreciation for the dairy industry. Elsbernd is the daughter of Peter and Kristi Elsbernd. The family milks 350 cows in a double-12 parlor.
Elsbernd said she remembers how she and her dad would sit down and talk about the different misconceptions around the dairy industry.
“I wanted to make that difference,” Elsbernd said.
When Elsbernd was in fourth grade she became a Winneshiek County Little Miss Squirt. Fast-forward to 2021, she was crowned Winneshiek County Dairy Prin-
DAIRY ST R Recent
cess Alternate. She then ran for Iowa Dairy Princess in 2022 and 2023 and ultimately became the 2023-24 Iowa Dairy Princess.
Elsbernd has attended many different events throughout her reign. Her appearances include going to schools, grocery stores, countless county banquets and a county fair.
“We have done a lot of different spots where you wouldn’t normally see a crown, but we were very excited to be there,” Elsbernd said.
Elsbernd said her favorite event was going to schools to talk to students. Elsbernd primarily visited students in kindergarten through second grade.
“You never know what kind of questions you are going to get,” Elsbernd said. “That’s the best part because you have to think on your toes a lot more than you ever would anywhere else.”
Throughout her reign, Elsbernd said she has grown into her role. Being able to sit back and listen was a learning curve.
“I am a very talkative, loud person, I always have been and anybody that knows
me, knows that,” Elsbernd said. “Being able to listen to what people’s questions are,
IOWA DAIRY
what people’s stories (are), what they want to know, want to learn or want to share
has kind of been my biggest growth.”
With less farms and more people growing up off farms, Elsbernd said she understands the importance of educating and advocating for the dairy industry.
“Not many people have experience of coming on to a farm and understanding what we do,” Elsbernd said.
She said she shares with consumers how milk is made, that it is humane, sustainable, and that farmers take great pride in making sure dairy products are valuable and renewable.
Elsbernd also shares about milk being a nutrition dynamo.
“Dairy is so nutritious and it’s such a superfood that we can eat (it) on a regular basis,” she said.
There are challenges to the role that Elsbernd said she has worked through.
“I think the biggest issue is pulling myself in a lot of different directions,” Elsbernd said. “I really enjoy being able to sit in a class and learn more about the dairy industry, learning more so I can bring more information to other people while also attending events. ... It’s kind of juggling wanting to learn and wanting to teach.”
Raegan Kime Iowa Guernsey Breeders Association
Naomi Scott Iowa Holstein Association
Ashley Elsbernd Winneshiek County
Hillary Burken Clinton/Jackson County
Emily Manweiler Iowa Jersey Cattle Club
Elizabeth Fossum Allamakee County
PHOTO COURTESY OF DIANA CORAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Ashley Elsbernd, daughter of Peter and Kris Elsbernd, is the 70th Iowa Dairy Princess. Elsbernd grew up on her family’s 350 -cow dairy farm near Calmar, Iowa.
Sharing the why
Fossum uses personal experience, passion to advocate for dairy’s story
By Emily Breth emily.b@star-pub.com
WATERVILLE,
Iowa
Elizabeth Fossum had a passion for dairy long before a crown was placed on her head and she was named the Iowa Dairy Princess Alternate.
“I have always been passionate about dairy,” Fossum said. “The dairy princess program is important to me because dairy farmers need someone to advocate for them. They work very hard and can’t do it themselves.”
Fossum is the daughter of Kevin and Julie Fossum who reside near Waterville, where they currently milk around 240 cows in a double-8 parallel parlor.
“My 82-year-old grandpa, Butch, my dad and I all help with milking so there are currently three generations milking together,” Fossum said. “My brother, Thomas, just graduated high school and is hoping to take over the farm someday.”
Future plans for Fossum include earning her degree in
ag business with a minor in dairy science from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. After graduation, Fossum hopes to either return to the family dairy farm or get a job in the dairy industry.
When it came to competing for princess, Fossum had role models to look up to.
“I ran for county princess just like my two aunts and cousin,” Fossum said. “One of my aunts and my cousin ran for state princess also and I wanted to keep the family tradition going.”
While keeping the history of running for princess alive, Fossum is also able to share her personal story and why dairy is important. Fossum said by sharing knowledge, she has grown and learned as well.
“I realized the range of how little some people know, different information they know than me, questions they have and what they want to know,” Fossum said.
Along with talking to others, Fossum said a challenge she faced was ensuring she explained different aspects of dairy farming in a way every-
one was able to understand.
“In order to make sure they would know what I was talking about, I would ask them what they knew already,” Fossum said. “Then I would try to elaborate on what they know to further their knowledge.”
A favorite message Fossum said was to share the amount of care farmers put into their animals, along with why their animals are rst priority on the farm. While Fossum said she enjoys talking to everyone, she especially likes to chat with kids and teenagers.
“At the young age they haven’t set it in their minds what their opinions are yet,” Fossum said. “They are also more open to listening.”
Fossum was able to talk to many students through her classroom visits throughout the year.
“It is so fun talking to little kids,” Fossum said. “My project this year was teaching them how we mix our feed and how nutritious it is for our cows. I even brought the feed in and they all got to smell it. They all thought it smelt bad.”
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Elizabeth Fossum was crowned the 70th Iowa Dairy Princess Alternate. She is the daughter of Kevin and Julie Fossum. Elizabeth grew up on her family’s dairy farm near Waterville, Iowa, where they milk around 240 cows.
September 30,
Elsbernd encourages young ladies to be willing to learn more about the dairy industry and agriculture as a whole.
“If you’re going to go into advocacy (or) if you’re going to go into any area of agriculture, don’t come in with the mindset that you know everything because that will hold you back from a lot of lessons that you’ll learn as you go through the position,” Elsbernd
said.
Upon graduation, Elsbernd plans to go back to her family’s dairy farm.
“They are graciously taking me in under their wings,” Elsbernd said. “Not only am I learning, but I am also kind of being taught how they do it. (I am) also able to
PHOTO
(Below) Ashley Elsbernd stands next to a young girl September 23, 2023, at Hansen’s Farm Fresh Dairy near Hudson, Iowa. A er college gradua on in December, Elsbernd plans to go back to her family’s farm.
bring in my own ideas on the farm. It’s a little bit of teacher and student all at the same time.”
In December, Elsbernd will be graduating with a degree in dairy science from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She said she has enjoyed her reign and is excited about the future.
“I love listening to how the dairy industry has changed people,” Elsbernd said. “It has been a great opportunity. (And) I very much look forward to having (continued conversations) in the future as well.”
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One
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(Above) Ashley Elsbernd serves milk and yogurt
2023, at Country View Dairy near Hawkeye, Iowa. Elsbernd has gone to schools, grocery stores, countless county banquets and a county fair during her reign.
Con nued from
Another joy of working with kids Fossum said is the comments they make. During one visit when Fossum told the kids her brother mixes the feed for the cows, one of them told her she should not have a brother because she is a dairy princess.
Even though classroom visits were a favorite for Fossum, she also attended many other events where she talked with a variety of people.
“This year the rst event I attended was the Youth Dairy Classic in Manchester, Iowa, and I got to hand out ribbons and trophies and I judged the pewee show,” Fossum said.
Events Fossum attended ranged from the Iowa Eats Festival, to the Jones County Ag Breakfast, to reading to kids at a library or handing out chocolate milk at the Fareway Stores Inc. location in Harlan. Fossum said each event added additional strength to her love of dairy.
“It will affect what I do because
I grew connections I would not have had,” Fossum said. “Future ambassadors of dairy have fun with it, if you have an idea just go for it. It’s your year.”
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Madi Marburger (le ) and Elizabeth Fossum stand with a member of New Day Dairy GuestBarn April 6 at the Iowa Eats Fes val at the Waterloo Conven on Center in Waterloo, Iowa. Fossum’s favorite message to share with consumers is the care farmers put into their animals.
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Elizabeth Fossum stands with two children celebra ng June Dairy Month June 13 at the Fareway Stores Inc. loca on in Harlan, Iowa. This year during Fossum’s classroom visits she taught students about the ra on cows eat.
EBERLING Kiele
Iowa Brown Swiss Association
Parents: Kevin & Donna Eberling Kevin & Donna Hometown: Postville, Iowa Iowa 17 years old 17 years old
Tell us about yourself and your involvement in the dairy industry. I am going to be a senior at Decorah High School. I am planning on going to Iowa State University for animal science or something agriculture related. I am currently the Iowa Brown Swiss Princess and have been traveling around Iowa. I live on a farm where we milk around 50 registered Brown Swiss cows in a parlor. I have been showing since I could walk.
Why did you decide to serve as a dairy princess? It is something that I have always wanted to do. I want to be able to help other people get more involved with the dairy industry and show people what it’s about and that it’s more than cows.
What is the most important message to share with consumers? The dairy industry has such a big impact on everybody and is very vital to not just our community but the world as well.
As a dairy princess, which key demographic do you want to connect with? Why? I would want to connect with everybody, but it would be easier to reach out to people my age since I can connect with them better.
How will you incorporate your experiences on the farm into sharing about the dairy industry? With my experiences, I would be able to talk to people that have the same experiences as me and they would listen to me more. I can connect with people that do the same thing as me, such as milking cows or showing them. Or I would connect with people that want to do that and spread out from there.
What does the future of the dairy industry look like, and how do you see yourself tting into that future? As teachers of the dairy industry we know the dairy industry. We know what’s going on, work on a farm or live on a farm. I would be able to teach consumers because I know what’s going on and my whole life is basically dairy cattle.
BAUMLER Harley
Fayette County
Parents: Mike & Amy Baumler Mike & Baumler
Hometown: Fort Atkinson, Iowa Fort Iowa 20 years old 20 years old
Tell us about yourself and your involvement in the dairy industry. I originally grew up on a dairy farm alongside my siblings near St. Lucas, where I call home. My family milked 100 cows. We had breeds ranging from Jersey, Holstein, Brown Swiss to Milking Shorthorns. We have a row crop operation as well. In 2018 we sold out and transitioned into a cow/calf operation. This spring I graduated from Ellsworth Community College with my associate degree in professional studies of agriculture. I’ll be continuing my education at Iowa State University majoring in agriculture and rural policy in hopes of working for a commodity group after graduation.
Why did you decide to serve as a dairy princess? In 2021 I served as my county dairy princess. I decided to run to serve as a liaison between farmers and consumers in my community. During my time at Ellsworth, I was often questioned about the day to day operations of a dairy farm. I was educating peers, teachers and faculty members. There is only one dairy farm in the whole
county where the school resides, so I was nding myself still teaching and educating consumers.
What is the most important message to share with consumers? I like to talk to consumers about the milking process. Consumers always have an interest in learning about this and you can lead into animal welfare, environmental impact, and the quality and safety of the products that farmers produce.
As a dairy princess, which key demographic do you want to connect with? Why? The key demographic I want to connect with is consumers and share the impact dairy products can have on them. If we as farmers/agriculturist don’t share our story someone else will.
How will you incorporate your experiences on the farm into sharing about the dairy industry? My experiences on the farm give me the knowledge and condence to speak to someone who wants to learn more. I have an understanding of the process of the milk getting from cow to the grocery store. I have an insight on the day to day to operations. I will utilize this knowledge to converse with consumers.
What does the future of the dairy industry look like, and how do you see yourself tting into that future? I see the dairy industry striving in all aspects. The dairy farmers are working towards implementing sustainable practices and technology advancements whether it’s in the eld or in the parlor. I plan to stay active in the dairy industry by always sharing my knowledge and experience to further promote the consumption of dairy products and advocate for the farming community.
ELSBERND Kendra
Winneshiek County
Parents: Peter & Kristi Elsbernd Peter & Kristi
Hometown: Calmar, Iowa Iowa 18 years old 18 years old
Tell us about yourself and your involvement in the dairy industry. I have been in the dairy industry my entire life. I live on a dairy farm with 600 cattle and we milk 350 of them three times a day. Growing up, I was always helping my dad and grandpa on the farm, feeding calves and bringing in cows. Eventually we found out about the dairy promoters and started getting involved with that.
Why did you decide to serve as a dairy princess? I know a lot about the dairy industry and what goes on in it seeing as how I grew up with it. There are some people that don’t know a lot about it. So, I want to teach the community why it is so important to have dairy in your life and not to always believe the misconceptions about it.
What is the most important message to share with consumers? Don’t always believe what the internet says. There is a lot of misconceptions about the dairy industry.
As a dairy princess, which key demographic do you want to connect with? Why? The key demographic I would want to connect with are kids. Teaching kids at such a young age why the dairy industry is so important and what goes on in it I feel is very important for them. It’s good to know where dairy foods come from and to not think of it coming from the grocery store. The process from farm to store is always important to know and all around why it’s a good thing to have in your life.
How will you incorporate your experiences on the farm into sharing about the dairy industry? Since I know more about the inside of the dairy industry, I feel like I can spread more of a reliable message. Coming from the inside and watching it from a young age I think I would be a more reliable person for spreading its message.
What does the future of the dairy industry look like, and how do you see yourself tting into that future? The dairy industry is going on a good path with both the farming side and the consumer side except for those small misconceptions. I am going for nursing, but I do want to help on my family’s farm still because I love it. I would love to someday join my sister in owning a share of the farm, so I can help out with it and it doesn’t just rely on her.
HAGEMAN Libby
Dubuque County
Parents: Bob & Amy Hageman Bob & Hometown: New Vienna, Iowa New Iowa 17 years old 17 years old
Tell us about yourself and your involvement in the dairy industry. I am going into my senior year of high school at Beckman Catholic School in Dyersville. I milked cows on our family farm alongside my dad and grandpa up until two years ago when a tragedy hit and we had to make the choice to sell the cows. I knew dairy was still a part of who I was so I decided to apply to serve as a princess for my county to advocate for the industry I love. I am now currently serving for the second year in a row for the Dubuque County Dairy Promotion Association. I am employed at McAllister Family Dairy and Tri-Vet Associates. Outside of work I am an active member of my school’s FFA chapter. I am currently serving as chapter president while also being active in the science research program where I research dairy-related problems I have experienced rst-hand.
Why did you decide to serve as a dairy princess? Back in 2022, the cows may have been gone from the farm but I knew it was still a part of who I was and I wondered how I could still be involved. I decided to run to be a county princess so I could have the opportunity to connect with consumers and share my love and passion for the industry with them and also connect with producers and be the voice for the people behind the product. I also wanted to give back to the industry that helped shape me into who I am today, and I knew serving as a county princess was the rst step.
What is the most important message to share with consumers? Studies have shown consumers are more interested in learning about the science and business of our industry. I think one of the key messages is how hard farmers work to
keep their cows healthy and comfortable. Animal care is one of the most important aspects of a farmer’s job. Happy, healthy and comfortable cows lead to high quality milk and better producing cows. Dairy farmers spend more money on the health of their herd than on themselves. During the hottest days on the farm, you can nd the cows on their personal beaches (the sand bedding) enjoying the coolness that is provided to them in the barn. They also have fresh water and an endless buffet of nutritious food available to them. The most dedicated farmers in the whole world are dairy farmers who work tirelessly to produce wholesome and nutritious products for us to enjoy.
As a dairy princess, which key demographic do you want to connect with? Why? I want to connect with the younger generation as most of them don’t get to experience dairy and know little to nothing about it. I think it’s important that the future leaders of our world have the right information about the industry to help continue to advocate for it. I want to connect with these kids and show them what it’s like daily on a dairy farm. I want them to know where the milk they enjoy with their cereal for breakfast is coming from and the hard work it took to get it to their table. If kids learn about the industry at a young age, they appreciate it more and understand how important dairy is to keep our world running.
How will you incorporate your experiences on the farm into sharing about the dairy industry? Growing up on a small dairy farm in rural Iowa has taught me dedication and hard work. If selected as Iowa Dairy Princess or Alternate I can bring these into my year of service. Being the only girl raised and working on the family’s dairy farm came with challenges that I had to overcome by not listening to others’ opinions. I use my experience being the only girl on the farm by inspiring other young women in our industry and showing them they can do it and to not give up.
What does the future of the dairy industry look like, and how do you see yourself tting into that future? The future of the dairy industry is bright, but it ultimately comes down to us either by being consumers or producers. It’s very hard to predict the future but with better education, newer technology, effort and resources, the industry can thrive and remain as one of the most needed industries. For myself, the dairy industry shaped me into who I am today, and I continue to grow the networks and connections I have made. I am excited to see where the future takes the industry, but it rst starts with us.
On behalf of Iowa’s dairy farm families, Midwest Dairy is proud to sponsor the 20 Iowa Dairy Princess contest.
We support all the candidates for their willingness and dedication to help promote the Iowa dairy industry. These goodwill ambassadors are a vital part of our efforts to showcase dairy’s goodness, including dairy farmers’ commitment to their cows, the environment and producing a safe, wholesome product for all to enjoy.
JOHNSON Olivia
Howard County Howard
Parents: Allen & Tanya Johnson Allen & Johnson Hometown: Elma, Iowa Iowa 17 years old 17 years old
Tell us about yourself and your involvement in the dairy industry. I don’t actually live on a dairy farm, but my county 4-H offers a dairy program. We are able to lease out the animal, work with it to get it ready for the fair and show it. This allows us to be involved in the dairy industry. I have sheep and goats at home that I also show at the fair. I also do a dairy bracelet workshop during the fair that teaches the community about the dairy industry through a bracelet. I do this during milking, so they are also able to watch the cows get milked as well. The bracelet is a pipe cleaner with six different beads that represent a different fact about the dairy industry.
Why did you decide to serve as a dairy princess? I just ended my reign as the Mighty Howard County Fair Princess and it was very hard for me to give up because I knew I wouldn’t be representing anything anymore. So, the night that I was done, H&H Farms came up to me and encouraged me to apply for the dairy princess. Before I joined 4-H I had no idea what the dairy industry was or anything about it, but now I think I know a lot about it. I love sharing my new learnings or information with other people. So, I was really excited when they said there was another opportunity for me to continue my education and share my learning with others.
What is the most important message to share with consumers? There is actually so much more to the dairy industry than the products you eat. You create so many bonds over the years and you learn something new almost
every day. There are so many things that I thought that I knew, but they are constantly changing.
As a dairy princess, which key demographic do you want to connect with? Why? I would target everybody because dairy can help everybody in some shape or form. I am in a nutrition class right now and we just nished learning about lactose intolerance. I learned so much that even if you are lactose intolerant it doesn’t mean that you have to cut dairy from your diet, but take it in smaller portions. I think dairy can inuence everybody in some way, from babies to older adults. Milk can help you in a very important way to make sure you are staying healthy.
How will you incorporate your experiences on the farm into sharing about the dairy industry? I have learned a lot not only being a part of the dairy industry but being exposed to my own farm that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make sure everything is running okay. You make a lot of new bonds. My best friend lives on a dairy farm and we have created a great bond through showing and I help them out as well.
What does the future of the dairy industry look like, and how do you see yourself tting into that future? I think the dairy industry, as always, will continue to grow and rise. Personally, I want to get involved in some way when I am older. I want to have bottle calves or something related to the dairy industry to help promote the dairy industry on my farm one day. I want to show everybody how great it is and to give back to the industry because it has given me so many relationships and experiences that I will never forget.
Mallory
Allamakee County
Parents: Clint & Noelle Mohn & Hometown: Lansing, Iowa Iowa 18 years old 18 years old
Tell us about your involvement in the dairy industry. I am our county beef queen because our family owns and operates a cow calf farm. I milk on my cousin’s dairy farm, where I milk cows, feed calves, assist in breeding and do any eld work that they need help with. I am our county dairy princess and I do classroom visits with that and go around informing the community about the dairy industry.
Why did you decide to serve as a dairy princess? I really like educating consumers on topics they do not fully understand. With social media of today it is really easy to nd misleading information. If I can meet them face to face, I can tell them about what the dairy industry is really about. I would like to have that opportunity.
What is the most important message to share with consumers? Going back to social media, I think that if consumers have questions, they should reach out to someone directly involved in the dairy industry. When you look up on social media about dairy, it is mostly full of bad information. Consumers need to know that we want to answer any questions they might have and that is a better method than looking online for information.
As a dairy princess, which key demographic do you want to connect with? Why? I want to connect with those looking at dairy alternatives. I want to show them that there are real milk alternatives. I have a cousin who has a child who is lactose intolerant. Most people assume he can’t have any milk, but that is not the case. I want to show people that there are real milk options that are safe.
How will you incorporate your experiences on the farm into sharing about the dairy industry? When you are sharing your dairy story, it is so helpful to have real-life photos, videos and personal stories to help connect with them on a deeper level. Being about to connect with them on that level will have a stronger impact on consumers.
What does the future of the dairy industry look like, and how do you see yourself tting into that future? I see technology continuing to play a large part in the dairy industry. Growing up, I have always had technology around me on the farm. Technology can and will play an important role in the future of farming. My generation has always had technology around us. It’s part of our everyday lives.
RONNEBAUM Haley
Delaware County Delaware
Parents: Mitch & Jenny Ronnebaum Mitch & Jenny Ronnebaum
Hometown: Earlville, Iowa Iowa 18 years old 18 years old
Tell us about your involvement in the dairy industry. I grew up on a 200-cow Holstein and Ayrshire dairy, but my family sold the herd in December 2023. I now milk 10 cows on my own and custom feed 200 heifers. I am also involved in dairy judging and dairy quiz bowl at all levels through 4-H and FFA.
Why did you decide to serve as a dairy princess? I wanted to be more involved in the dairy industry and be able to make an impact on the people outside of the dairy industry. I hope to inform them on how important dairy products are.
What is the most important message to share with consumers? How nutritious dairy products are and how important they are for your body. I want to share with people how milk can help your muscles and help you perform better in sports.
As a dairy princess, which key demographic do you want to connect with? Why? I want to connect with the sports side, the athletes. I am involved in multiple sports myself and want to connect with other athletes.
How will you incorporate your experiences on the farm into sharing about the dairy industry? I can help explain to people how we properly treat our cows so that they can produce the milk that we all get to enjoy.
What does the future of the dairy industry look like, and how do you see yourself tting into that future? The future of the dairy industry will utilize more automatation and will have more technology. I see myself tting into that industry. I plan to be a large animal veterinarian, so I will be taking care of the cows.
KOEHLER Leah
Jones County Jones
Parents: Ted & Karla Koehler
Hometown: Monticello, Iowa Iowa 17 years old 17 years old
Tell us about yourself and your involvement in the dairy industry. I will be a senior at Monticello High School this fall and am active in many school activities including student government, FFA and band. I enjoy running, skiing and hanging out with friends. I have been showing dairy heifers since I was in third grade and enjoy participating in dairy promotion activities in Jones County. My favorite dairy cattle breed is Jersey.
Why did you decide to serve as a dairy princess? I decided to serve as dairy princess because I wanted to take an active leadership role in promoting the dairy industry, gain friendships and have fun along the way. Growing up, I admired the dairy princess since I was Jones County Little Miss Squirt in 2012 and wanted to wear the crown someday. Plus, I have a passion for the dairy industry and want to share it with others.
What is the most important message to share with consumers? The most important message I want to share with consumers is that dairy products are nutritious and that they should drink more milk and eat more dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.
As a dairy princess, which key demographic do you want to connect with? Why? I would like to connect with athletes of all ages and encourage them to drink chocolate milk as a post-workout drink since it is proven to be a great hydrator and source of carbohydrates, protein and electrolytes. I want to promote chocolate milk to young athletes so they continue drinking it as adults. I drink chocolate milk regularly after I run.
How will you incorporate your experiences on the farm into sharing about the dairy industry? I will incorporate my experiences on the farm by sharing personal anecdotes which will make my dairy promotions more engaging to my audience. Additionally, through personal experiences, I have learned about many aspects of the dairy industry, which has enabled me to speak condently about it.
Haley!
What does the future of the dairy industry look like, and how do you see yourself tting into that future? The future of the dairy industry is bright. Large dairy farms that are still family-owned will likely exist. Additionally, they will be more focused on their farms’ environmental impact, so new eco-friendly farming methods may emerge. I would like to help research and develop these new methods after I earn a degree in ag biochemistry from Iowa State University.
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Iowa Dairy Princesses
Year Name Title County/Breed
1950 Alberta Wenndt Thien Dairy Queen
1955 Dolores Chapman Tanner Princess Palo Alto
1956 Carolyn Card Bossen Princess Hamilton
1957 Marilyn Dralle Windhorst Princess Butler
1958 Karen Bright Carey Princess Hardin
1959 Ann Wolf Brunsvold Princess Henry
1 9 6 0 - 1 9 6 9
Year Name Title County/Breed
1960 Sandra Ferguson Princess Marshall
1961 Bonnie Houghtaling Slinker Princess Marion
1962 Mary (Jovita) Misbach Zuber Princess Linn
1962 Sandra Fenton Schuleit 1st Alternate Clayton
1962 Donna Rice Bonnstetter 2nd Alternate Story
1963 Judith Stemsrud D’Amico Princess Poweshiek
1963 Judy VandenBurg Alternate
1964 Deanna Powell Fay Princess Linn
1964 Carol Hunziker Bernhard Alternate Sac
1965 Mary VerMeer Borg Princess Marion
1965 Linda Lyon Podhajsky Alternate Tama
1966 Carol Flage Middleton Princess Allamakee
1966 Ann Shilling Alternate
1967 Dianna Marts Engelbrecht Princess Holstein Breed
1967 Susan Schultz Alternate Allamakee
1968 Barb Halverson Westercamp Princess Story
1968 Nancy Tomlonovic Thornton Alternate Jasper
1969 Laura Vick Clark Princess Winneshiek
1969 Beverly Meyer Vratny Alternate Holstein Breed
1 9 7 0 - 1 9 7 9
Year Name Title County/Breed
1970 Vianne Holst Strobe Princess Scott
1970 Debbie Lockie Van Arkel Alternate Howard
1971 Lynee Kruse Klaus Princess Howard
1971 Emily Lyon Hansen Alternate Tama
1972 Kathy Thortensen Murphy Princess Allamakee
1972 Rachel Leistikow Murany Alternate Winneshiek
1973 Norma Parrott Nielson Princess Jersey Breed
1973 Marcia Broghamer Alternate
1974 Jan Schuler Porter Princess Cass
1974 Paula Willenborg Forest Alternate
1975 Jill Nichols Euken Princess Milking Shorthorn Breed
1975 Cindy Peterson Ehrecke Alternate Holstein Breed
1975 Kristen Van Wyk Tolander Alternate Jasper
1976 Leann Miller Princess Butler
1976 Deanna Meyer Alternate
1977 Sue Buhr O’Brien Princess Bremer
1977 Mary Reinking Spangler Alternate Fayette
1978 Laurie Uhlenhake Thompson Princess Winneshiek
1978 Joan Stock Behr Alternate Allamakee
1979 Joan Lau Princess Bremer
1979 Valerie Lyon Cruise Alternate Jersey Breed
1 9 8 0 - 1 9 8 9
Year Name
Title County/Breed
1980 Laurie Althaus Ready Princess Dubuque
1980 Linda Adamec Alternate
1981 Lori Lyon Hartman Princess Tama
1981 Cathy Hemesath Howell Alternate Winneshiek
1982 Jane Stock Regan Princess Allamakee
1982 Mary Kay Lindemann Bruihler Alternate Humboldt
1983 Rebecca Mohr Eischeid Princess Holstein Breed
1983 Karen Pfab Alternate Linn
1984 Tracey Eick Casaccia Princess Bremer
1984 Leah Boote Pennings Alternate Sioux
1985 Eileen Wittmer Princess Benton
1985 Judy Salz Alternate Mitchell
1986 Sarah Rayhons Abbas Princess Hancock
1986 Karen Abbas Libenguth Alternate Grundy/Hardin
1987 Pam Schmidt Meier Princess Bremer
1987 Erin Mooney Berns Alternate Allamakee
1988 Delores Hemann Koster Princess Mitchell
1988 Gail Schmitt Ramspott Alternate Winneshiek
1989 Barb Sweeney Rawson Princess Buchanan
1989 Shelly Fossum Howe Alternate Allamakee
Year Name
1 9 9 0 - 1 9 9 9
Title County/Breed
1990 Nancy Schmitt Kuennen Princess Fayette
1990 Dawn Hovey Kucera Alternate Winneshiek
1991 Michelle Costello Arp
1991 Jennifer Keunig
Princess Scott
Alternate Holstein Breed
1992 Lynn DeVries Lail Princess Sioux
1992 Amy Church tePlate-Church Alternate Howard
1993 Shelly Regan Elliott Princess Allamakee
1993 Jody Meyer Sleister Alternate Milking Shorthorn Breed
1994 Tami Schwarz Princess Ayrshire Breed
1994 Angie Smith Erickson Alternate Guernsey 1995 Andrea Steffens Sayles Princess Fayette 1995 Stacia Piggot Sonderman Alternate Allamakee 1996 Jeannine Hammerand Domeyer Princess Dubuque
Christine Fischer Alternate Delaware 1997 Candice Smith Johnson Princess Guernsey