Local youth place well in Dairy Quiz Bowl ...

Thirty-four youth from across northeast Iowa gathered at the Starmont Community Schools in Arlington June 9 for the 2026 Iowa 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest. Representing Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette and Allamakee counties, 4-H members showcased their dairy knowledge by competing in fast-paced rounds that tested their understanding of dairy nutrition, anatomy, herd health, industry practices and current events.

As the competition progressed, participants in the senior division competed for an opportunity to represent Iowa at the National 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl this November during the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, KY. That Senior division was won by the team from Delaware County, which also had two individuals place in the top-three finishers in the individual competition, with the top individual finisher coming from Fayette County.
Brielle and Brogan Gavin from Allamakee County were among the top placewinners at the Dairy Quiz Bowl, with Brogan being part of the Dubuque County team that finished as Reserve Champions in the Junior division of competition. Brielle was a member of the Dubuque County team that finished as Champions of the Intermediate division, and she is pictured standing in the front row of the submitted photo above with her Dubuque County teammates, left to right in the back row, Ellie Simon, Carson Rauen and Adley Rahe.

In addition to team competition, participants completed an individual written exam prior to the quiz bowl rounds. These individual scores were used to determine team seeding and contributed to overall match outcomes, highlighting both individual knowledge and team performance. Brielle Gavin finished as the Reserve Champion individual in the Intermediate division.

“The Dairy Quiz Bowl is more than just a competition. It gives young people a chance to build confidence, strengthen critical thinking skills and apply what they are learning in real-world situations within the dairy industry,” said Celine Beggs-Shoemaker, Iowa 4-H animal science program specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “Experiences like this help youth grow as communicators, teammates and future leaders in agriculture.”