Students Compete for Showmanship Titles

The
Alfred State SUNY College of Technology recently held its annual Showmanship
Day on campus.  A total of 69 animals from five different species were
exhibited. The judges overseeing the showmanship contest this year were
livestock judge, Jeff Wilson of Dansville, who placed the classes of sheep,
goats, horses, and alpacas. Dairy judge Stacy Andersen of Lebanon, PA, placed
the cow and heifer classes. 

Preparing for this
contest provided many of the students their first opportunity to work with a
farm animal, as the majority of these students do not have production animal
backgrounds.  Dr. Dorothea Fitzsimmons, assistant professor for animal
science, Agriculture and Veterinary Technology Department, says, "The complete
metamorphosis that both animals and students undergo during the month prior to
this big day never fails to amaze me!  I am very proud of these students
for stepping up to the plate."

Alfred State students
sign up to show a chosen species and are randomly assigned an animal from the
Alfred State College Farm.  The sheep are provided from a local herd. The
students then have one month to prepare.  They must show and fit their own
animal. However, novices are paired with a more experienced student for guidance. 

On show day, students
competed for showmanship titles against others in their species class. 
The six champions of each species division then show three random species and
are scored and placed to compete for the title of overall master showman. 
This year the champions were required to properly show a dairy heifer, pig, and
sheep in order to achieve the title of Overall Master Showman.

With the highest
showmanship score for all three species divisions, Nicole Santangelo, Cuba, was
awarded the 2009 Alfred State College Master Showman award.  Reserve went
to Sean Schubmehl, Wayland. 

Other
winners included

Livestock
Show Winners

• Alpaca
  Classes
  • Champion:  Andrea Gunst,
    Schenectady
  • Reserve:  Brandi
    Kurzowski, Holley
• Equine
  Classes
  • Champion:  Brandi
    Sprout, Portville
  • Reserve:  Stacy
    Lord, Livonia
• Sheep Classes
  • Champion:  Sean
    Schubmehl, Wayland
  • Reserve:  Hilary
    Kaufman, Delancey
  • Honorable
    Mention:  Jamie Meyer, Portageville
• Swine
  Classes
  • Champion:
    Sean Schubmehl, Wayland
  • Reserve:
    Lori Trapp, Fulton

Dairy
Show Winners

• Dairy
  Heifer Classes
  • Champion:  Julie
    Graves, Fort Ann
  • Reserve:  Nicole
    Terwilliger, Jeffersonville
  • Honorable Mention:  Elizabeth Sechrist, Arcade
  • Honorable Mention:
    Kaitlyn Howard, Endicott
• Dairy
  Cow Classes
  • Champion: Nicole
    Santangelo, Cuba
  • Reserve:  Austin
    Koperczak, Savona
  • Honorable Mention:
    Joseph Estes, Caledonia