Summer and the county fair season are still a few months away, but it’s time for Wisconsin dairy cattle judges to think about renewing or obtaining their Wisconsin Purebred Dairy Cattle Association judging certification. PDCA has scheduled its annual judges training for Saturday, May 31at the Marquette County Fairgrounds in Westfield.

To be a certified PDCA judge, individuals should attend a conference every four years. Those who demonstrate appropriate skill levels at the conference will be listed as "PDCA-recommended" on the organization’s website at http://www.wipdca.com/. PDCA recommends that judges placing shows from national to county fair level attend conferences on a regular basis.

The conference will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. A $30-per-person fee includes lunch and beverages. Youth groups are encouraged to attend at a reduced $10 per-person rate. Mike Deaver, Edgerton, Wis., officiates the conference. Deaver is an internationally recognized dairy cattle judge who has placed the Holstein classes at both World Dairy Expo and the Canadian Royal Winter Fair within the last five years. He has also judged national shows for several of the colored breeds.

Conference attendees will have an opportunity to evaluate five or six individual animal classes and will overview showmanship fundamentals. Area herds that will be providing cattle include Rosedale Farm, Maple Lawn Farm, Frozene Farms and Buchholz Registered Holsteins.

More information and registration materials are available by contacting Ray Kuehl, (608) 849-4000 or (608) 849-7917. Send completed registration forms and payments (check payable to PDCA) may be sent to Kuehl at 204 W. Main Street, Waunakee, WI 53597. The deadline for registrations is May 24 and the conference cost is due upon sign-in at the conference.