Jacob Harbaugh’s contribution to the dairy sector was acknowledged when he received the 20th Merle Howard Award at the 57th World Dairy Expo on Friday, October 4. His enthusiasm and devotion distinguished him as a natural leader among his peers. He began with local cattle shows and proceeded to state, regional, and national displays. He continued to work throughout the epidemic, starting his own fitting company and contributing to sales, displays, and herd classifications.
Jacob’s skills go beyond livestock. He’s a dynamic competitor who competes in speaking contests, Dairy Jeopardy, and Dairy Bowl on a state and national level. His expertise was shown in 4-H dairy cow judging when his county team won the 2023 Wisconsin State Dairy Cow Judging Contest. Jacob’s performance at the World Dairy Expo ranked him in the top 25 and earned him All-American status.
This young guy, a dedicated dairy exhibitor from Shawano County, won the Reserve Junior Champion of the International Junior Holstein Show with his Holstein Fall Yearling at the 2021 World Dairy Expo. The following year, he won the Junior Champion Brown Swiss award in both the Junior and Open Shows at the Expo’s International Brown Swiss Show. This year, his heifer in the Brown Swiss Fall Calf Class finished second in the open show and first in the junior division.
When Jacob isn’t on the farm or traveling, you usually find him in Bella-View’s barn, preparing heifers of different breeds for competition. His unwavering work ethic significantly adds to Bella-View’s success. Jacob is constantly developing and spent a week at the YBS Young Breeder School in Europe this summer.
In addition to winning the Merle Howard Award, Jacob was named the Wisconsin FFA’s 2023 Star in Agribusiness. The Holstein Association USA recognized him as one of six Distinguished Junior Holstein members this summer.
Sara and Lynn Harbaugh’s 19-year-old son is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, studying animal science with an emphasis on industry and business. Jacob remains involved in the Gopher Dairy Club, the Ag Business Club, and the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity.
The presentation was graced by nearly all past Merle Howard Award winners, including 2004, Robert Teixeira, Turlock, Calif.; 2005, Matthew Mitchell, Speedwell, Tenn.; 2006, Greta Koebel, Poplar Grove, Ill.; 2007, Brandon Ferry, Hilbert, Wis.; 2008, Kelly Lee Reynolds, Corfu, N.Y.; 2009, Kyle Natzke, Fond du Lac, Wis.; 2010, Stephanie Aves Schroeder, Lancaster, Wis.; 2011, Karen Anderson Johnson, Litchfield, Minn.; 2012, Cy Conard, Sharon Springs, N.Y.; 2013, Cassy Krull,
Merle Howard was a dairy industry legend, having won the Klussendorf Award in 1954. He handled herds and categorized Holsteins before becoming successful in sales and exports. Merle also served as a founding director of the National Dairy Shrine.
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