Postville High School alum Ariana Menne part of NICC’s fifth-place Dairy Judging Team at 2026 World Dairy Expo
NICC Dairy Judging Team places fifth at Dairy Expo ... The Dairy Judging Team from Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) in Calmar placed fifth in the 36th International Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held as part of the 2026 World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI in late September. Pictured above, left to right, are NICC team members Leo Privett of Caledonia, MN, Ariana Menne of Postville, Kalli Tveten of Winona, MN, and Brittany House of Springdale, WA. Submitted photo.
Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) has announced the high placement of its dairy judging team at the 36th International Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, held during the World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI in late September. Facing strong competition from top collegiate teams across California, New York, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin, NICC earned a fifth-place finish overall.
In addition to its overall success, the team excelled across multiple individual breed classes and judging categories, placing fifth in oral reasons, second in Ayrshires, and third in Red and Whites. NICC team member Kalli Tveten tied for the highest individual score in the Ayrshire division of the competition.
The 2026 NICC dairy judging team members include Leo Privett of Caledonia, MN, who is a Dairy Science and Agriculture Business double major; Ariana Menne of Postville, who is a Dairy Science major; Kalli Tveten of Winona, MN, who is a Beef Science and Agriculture Business double major; and Brittany House of Springdale, WA, who is a Dairy Science and Agriculture Business double major. NICC alumnus Peyton Luehmann of Lewiston, MN led and mentored the team during the competition.
“Preparing to judge at the World Dairy Expo is something I have been doing for years,” said Kalli Tveten, individual high scorer for NICC. “Evaluating cattle, going over terms, memorization and confidence in my oral reasons are all things that I have been working on since fourth grade. I dairy judged throughout my 4-H career under the coaching of Keith Brogan, and I can not thank him enough for all of the help over the years.”
NICC extends its sincere congratulations to the team and expresses gratitude for their dedication as exceptional student ambassadors for the College.
“We are very proud to have these individuals as ambassadors for Northeast Iowa Community College on a national stage,” said Dave Lawstuen, NICC agriculture instructor.
To learn more about Agriculture and Animal Science programs at NICC, visit nicc.edu.
