106th Annual Rutgers Day/Ag Field Day
Animal Fitting and Exhibition Contests
April 26, 2025
Sponsored by The Society of Animal Science and the Department of Animal Sciences.
Welcome to the 106th Annual Ag Field Day Animal Contests!
We welcome you to the 106th Annual Rutgers Day / Ag Field Day Animal Fitting and Exhibition Contests! Rutgers Day / Ag Field Day is one of the best days of the year here on the Rutgers University Cook Campus. A variety of activities will be taking place on campus today offered by different clubs and departments. Here is a brief overview of the exciting things happening on the animal farm!
In the morning, a series of livestock shows will occur at various locations around the farm. Students are able to show beef cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, and horses. The participating students are registered for a course called “Animal Handling, Fitting, and Exhibition.” These students learn how to groom, train, and present their animal for show. This is all accomplished in approximately six weeks. Both students and supervisors have been working extremely hard these past few weeks, so please stop by and show your support!
Additionally, the Mounted Patrol barn will be open. This is the only student-run mounted patrol unit in the nation! They will be giving tours and you will have a chance to meet the patrol horses: Norman and Austin. The Veterinary Science Club will be running a petting zoo in the Round House. Here, you will have the opportunity to meet some of our animals from the farm up close! The Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club will also be nearby with their dogs. The Companion Animal Club will be on the scene, too! Lastly, there will also be a demonstration of our horse treadmill. We are fortunate to have one of the few horse treadmills in the country. Be sure to see some of our horses in action!
When you get hungry, make sure you stop by the Society of Animal Science BBQ across the street from the farm! We will be serving pork roll sandwiches and coffee in the morning. Come in the afternoon and we will have a variety of food items, including burgers (beef and veggie), hot dogs, and sweet and hot Italian sausages. We will also be selling club merchandise and Ag Field Day animal show shirts. The Endocrinology and Animal Biosciences graduate students will be having a bake sale. Be sure to check out what they have as well! Make an effort to stop by! Your support is deeply appreciated!
We hope you all enjoy your time here today. Without the help of the whole Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers Day / Ag Field Day would not be as memorable as it is. The faculty is very committed to providing as much education and experience to students as possible. Thanks to Clint Burgher and the farm staff for opening up the farm to all these students. Many students come in to begin working with their animals with very little experience. The farm staff is very patient and understanding. They really try to make this the best experience possible for the students.
Special thanks to the Society of Animal Science club advisors: Dr. Carey Williams and Dr. Taylor Ross, as well as our advisor Professor Henry Bignell. They have been a huge help to the club over this past year. They assist with the Northeast Student Affiliate (NESA) competition every year and it would not be possible without their constant support and guidance.
Thank you for coming to the 106th Rutgers Day / Ag Field Day Animal Fitting and Exhibition Contests! We hope you enjoy your visit with us and hope to see you again next year!
From the Faculty, Students, and Staff of the Department of Animal Sciences
Schedule of Events
Animal Shows
| Animal | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| DOG | 9:00 AM | Skelley Field |
| HORSE | 10:00 AM | Red Barn |
| SWINE | 10:00 AM | Swine Finishing Platforms |
| GOAT | 10:00 AM | Sheep Barn |
| CATTLE | 11:30 AM | Heifer Barn |
| SHEEP | 11:30 AM | Sheep Barn |
Activities and Events
Mounted Patrol Meet & Greet: An open house will be held at the Rutgers Mounted Patrol barn (College Farm Rd. between the Ag Museum and Round House) to meet Mounties and their horses!
Seeing Eye Puppy Meet & Greet: Come and meet the Rutgers Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club’s representatives and the puppies that they’re raising! The table will be located next to the Round House!
Veterinary Science Club Petting Zoo: R U ready to meet and pet our wonderful farm animals? Come on down to the Round House from 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM (the line will CLOSE at 3:00 PM) and spend some time with the Rutgers University Veterinary Science Club!
The Rutgers University Equestrian Team (RUET): RUET will have a table outside of the barn. Come meet the team and get creative by painting horseshoes!
Equine Science Center: Join us for live treadmill demonstrations and discover the fascinating research happening at the Equine Science Center! These insightful sessions will take place at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM.
Food and Souvenirs
Companion Animal Club (on Red Oak Lane): Paw printing station and photo booth
Society of Animal Science: BBQ, merchandise, milking simulator, and farm scavenger hunt
Endocrinology and Animal Biosciences Graduate Student Organization: Baked goods
RU Veterinary Science Club & Rutgers Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club: Club apparel
Acknowledgments
The Society of Animal Science would like to thank the following people for their kind assistance:
| Dr. Nick Bello | Chair, Department of Animal Sciences |
| Dr. Taylor Ross | Teaching Instructor, Department of Animal Sciences, SAS Advisor |
| Dr. Carey Williams | Extension Specialist; Department of Animal Sciences, SAS Advisor |
| Prof. Henry Bignell | Teaching Instructor, Department of Animal Sciences |
| Dr. Aparna Zama | Associate Teaching Professor, Undergraduate Program Director |
| Clint Burgher | Cook Campus Farm Manager, Animal Care Program |
| Laura Comerford | Supervisor of Animal Operations, Animal Care Program |
| Felicia McCloskey | Senior Research Animal Worker - Swine |
| Rebecca Potosky | Senior Research Animal Worker - Sheep and Goat |
| Kelly Vuong | Senior Research Animal Worker - Cattle |
| Emma-Kate Feeney | Research Animal Worker – Equine |
| Anastasia Ioshpa | Assistant Animal Worker, Animal Care Program |
| Stacey Pontoriero | Sr. Program Coordinator, Department of Animal Sciences |
| Krista Schnatter | Program Coordinator II, Department of Animal Sciences |
| Dr. David Reimer | Associate Director, University Lab Animal Services |
| Daniel Rossi | Research Farm Supervisor - Farm Shop |
| Nancy Rossi | Research Farm Supervisor- Laboratory Animals |
| Michael Hoff | Business Assistant, Department of Animal Sciences |
We appreciate all of the faculty, students, and family members who helped with the BBQ!
SWINE
Class 1
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Puddles | Riley Denio |
| Orson | Jasgun Kaur |
| Hendrix | Jordan Signh |
| Penelope Pigstop | Emily Schnedier |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 2
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Beanie | Mijo Fails |
| Gordon Hamsey | Mustafa Abdelilah |
| Hamlet | Andrew Adubato |
| Cleopatra | Jalen Lucien |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 3
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Petunia | Abigail Haney |
| Bucket | Kimberely Chen |
| Albert | Aj McElkenney |
| Lily | Linda Sanchez |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 4
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Dottie | Samatha Dziboda |
| Shakira | Sofia Garzon |
| Trixie | Kate Qaurcoopome |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Final Class - 1st Place of Each Class
First-place winners from each class will compete for Grand Champion and Reserve Champion.
Grand Champion: __________________________
Reserve Champion: _________________________
The Swine Handling and Fitting Class Sends a Very Special Thanks To:
Judge: Felicia McCloskey
Felicia McCloskey started working at the Rutgers Farm as a work-study student in 2008. She immersed herself in gaining experience during her undergraduate career—she was a multi-species practicum student and a teaching assistant and coordinator for the handling, fitting & exhibition courses. In 2011, Felicia started working full-time as a senior research animal worker/swine practicum instructor.
Announcer: Thomas Koenig
Class Supervisor: Professor Henry Bignell (Rutgers Faculty)
Student Coordinator: Jordan Lees
Student Supervisors: Jahla Brown,Alex Kokolis, Joan Nwokoro, Lara Valverde, and Victoria Walsh
T-Shirt Design: Emily Schnedier
Felicia McCloskey, Laura Comerford, Ana Ioshpa, practicum students, and work-study students: Thank you for all of your hard work in keeping the swine fed, keeping their homes clean, and getting the show area ready and in working shape. You are all appreciated more than you know!!
Swine Handling and Fitting Supervisors: Thank you for all of the time and effort you’ve put into the students and their animals; you’ve done a GREAT job!
Thank you, Professor Bignell for your hard work and dedication throughout the semester in teaching the students about cattle and swine showmanship!
SHEEP
Class 1
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Madeleine | Deanna Gaspard |
| Sundae | Sierra Lidell McKieth |
| Joey | Sa’Ni Freeman |
| Dumpling | Stephanie Andilema |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 2
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Mai Fun | Gabrielle Bond |
| Waffle | Saribel Barrientos |
| Wendie | Ean Jocot-Guillarmod |
| Becky | Charlotte Friedman |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 3
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Madeleine | Ariana Satruc |
| Sundae | Annalies Eindhoven |
| Joey | Dea Papa |
| Dumpling | Giselle Medina |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 4
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Mai Fun | Katarina Lambert |
| Waffle | Aspen Wu |
| Wendie | Devon Sanchez |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Final Class - 1st Place of Each Class
First-place winners from each class will compete for Grand Champion and Reserve Champion.
Grand Champion: _______________________________
Reserve Champion: _______________________________
The Sheep Handling and Fitting Class Sends a Very Special Thanks To:
Judge: Rachel Ewing
Rachel earned a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and an associate degree in Biological Technology from SUNY Cobleskill, where she led a dairy calf project on passive immunity and was part of the second-place team at the Intercollegiate National Dairy Challenge in California.
She spent 12 years in the Hunterdon County 4-H program, actively participating in the Shooting Sports, Veterinary Science, and Goat Clubs. Her leadership roles included 2019 Hunterdon County Dairy Princess, 4-H Ambassador, and New Jersey Agricultural Fair Ambassador. A lifelong small ruminant enthusiast, Rachel has been breeding registered Alpine goats since 2012 and still owns her first doe, Kit Kat, now 13 years old.
Currently, she works as a research technician in Dr. Sabine Mann’s lab at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, focusing on neonatal calves, colostrum, and transition cow health. This fall, she’ll begin her veterinary studies at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine — wish her luck!
Announcer: Sarah Keppler
Class Supervisor: Rebecca Potosky
Student Coordinator: Lindsey Porzio
Student Supervisors: Delaney Dittenhofer, Hyoju Lee, Maddie Atkins, Sabrina Moreira, Sarah Keppler
T-Shirt Design: Dea Papa
Practicum and work-study students: Thanks for all of your hard work keeping the barn clean, helping with the sheep, and getting the show area ready and in working shape. You are appreciated more than you know!
Sheep Handling and Fitting Supervisors: Thank you for all of your hard work with the students and their animals; you’ve done a GREAT job!
Thank you Rebecca for teaching this class and helping students learn about sheep showmanship. We appreciate your dedication to this class!
GOATS
Class 1
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Venice | Nicole Moscoso |
| Gin | Max Bischoff |
| Minnow | Roshni Patel |
| Sunny | Martina Lavender |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 2
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Flounder | Jacob Cooke |
| Pumpernickel | Bart Chojnacki |
| Muffin | Maria Spirova |
| Biscuit | Hanna Puritz |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 3
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Venice | Rowan Lopez |
| Minnow | Jennifer Malaver |
| Sunny | Jordan Gibbions |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 4
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Flounder | Asil Soltan |
| Pumpernickel | Yu Kyung Um |
| Muffin | Elaine Ming |
| Biscuit | Anika Gandham |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Final Class - 1st Place of Each Class
First-place winners from each class will compete for Grand Champion and Reserve Champion.
Grand Champion: _______________________________
Reserve Champion: _______________________________
The Goat Handling and Fitting Class Sends a Very Special Thanks To:
Judge: Rachel Ewing
Rachel earned a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and an associate degree in Biological Technology from SUNY Cobleskill, where she led a dairy calf project on passive immunity and was part of the second-place team at the Intercollegiate National Dairy Challenge in California.
She spent 12 years in the Hunterdon County 4-H program, actively participating in the Shooting Sports, Veterinary Science, and Goat Clubs. Her leadership roles included 2019 Hunterdon County Dairy Princess, 4-H Ambassador, and New Jersey Agricultural Fair Ambassador. A lifelong small ruminant enthusiast, Rachel has been breeding registered Alpine goats since 2012 and still owns her first doe, Kit Kat, now 13 years old.
Currently, she works as a research technician in Dr. Sabine Mann’s lab at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, focusing on neonatal calves, colostrum, and transition cow health. This fall, she’ll begin her veterinary studies at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine — wish her luck!
Announcer: Charles McCloud
Class Supervisor: Ana Ioshpa
Student Coordinator: Lindsey Porzio
Student Supervisors: Charles McCloud, Courtney McCarroll, Elizabeth O’Keefe, Sophia Solewater
T-Shirt Design: Roshni Patel
Practicum and work-study students: Thanks for all of your hard work keeping the barn clean, helping with the goats, and getting the show area ready and in working shape. You are appreciated more than you know!
Goat Handling and Fitting Supervisors: Thank you for all of your hard work with the students and their animals; you’ve done a GREAT job!
Thank you Ana for teaching this class and helping students learn about goat showmanship. We appreciate your dedication to this class!
CATTLE
Class 1
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Bubbles | Juan Matallana |
| Blueberry | Andrea Echevverey |
| Peaches | Courtney Chin |
| Bramble | Madeline Baer |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 2
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miso | Paula Chavez |
| Boba | Isaac Montealegre |
| Ember | Urvi Patel |
| Banana | Lindsey Davis |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 3
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Bubbles | Erika Delgado |
| Blueberry | Amanda Velez Rivera |
| Peaches | Anna Bouchery |
| Bramble | Tierney Mulloweny |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Class 4
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Boba | Terence Chin |
| Ember | Olufemi Martins |
| Banana | Fiona Lynch |
| 1st: _______________ | |
Final Class - 1st Place of Each Class
First-place winners from each class will compete for Grand Champion and Reserve Champion.
Grand Champion: _______________________________
Reserve Champion: _______________________________
The Cattle Handling and Fitting Class Sends a Very Special Thanks To:
Judge: Patrycja Zbrzezny
Patrycja Zbrzezny, Cook College Grad 2010, is an agriculture teacher and assistant principal at John Bowne H.S. She has experience working with dairy, beef, and exotic cattle from her years as an agriculture student in high school, college, and beyond.
As a young adult, Patrycja spent her summers working on a dairy farm in Upstate NY. Once attending Rutgers, she worked on the Cook College farm specifically working with the dairy cattle during her time as a student. She became certified in cattle artificial insemination while at Rutgers and worked on breeding cattle shortly after. Upon completing her BS in animal science (farm productivity track), Patrycja set out to receive her education degree to teach animal science.
Since 2011 she has worked as an animal science educator in a school with a 4-acre farm, to which she brought in Zebu cattle. She works with the cattle and other livestock at the school to educate students on handling and management of livestock, and much more.
Announcer: Thomas Koenig
Class Supervisor: Professor Henry Bignell (Rutgers faculty)
Student Coordinator: Jordan Lees
Student Supervisors: Jordan Lees, Madison Ng, Thomas Koenig, Tessa McDonald, Sabrina Kim, Ryan Hart, Hailey Awad, Jalen Lucien, Gelleane Amarra, Gabriela Valente, Jinayah Lighty
T-Shirt Design: Sabrina Kim, animal science undergraduate student
Kelly Vuong, Laura Comerford, practicum students, and work-study students: Thank you for all of your hard work in keeping the cattle fed, keeping their homes clean, and getting the show area ready and in working shape. You are all appreciated more than you know!
Cattle Handling and Fitting Supervisors: Thank you for all of the time and effort you’ve put into the students and their animals; you’ve done a GREAT job!
Thank you, Professor Bignell for your hard work and dedication throughout the semester in teaching the students about cattle and swine showmanship!
Professor Bignell’s Studies in Animal Science Students: Jordan, Madison, Tommy, and Tessa- Thank you for spending the fall working with the show calves up until now to make this a safer and seamless experience for all the current 175 and 176 students. You have spent countless hours getting to know these animals and coming up with tips and tricks to help train supervisors and mentor the current students- I am grateful for your work this past year. - Professor Bignell
HORSE SHOW
Heat I – (not to start before 10 am)
| Show # | Horse | Student Handler |
|---|---|---|
| 118 | Marci | Hanen Abdallah |
| 119 | Cougar | Nathaniel Baptista |
| 120 | Mazel | Jillian Messick |
| 121 | Wiser | Saige Lorenzo |
| 122 | Alli | Jessica Ren |
Heat II
| Show # | Horse | Student Handler |
|---|---|---|
| 124 | Marci | Daphne Lau |
| 125 | Cougar | Edward Zhou |
| 126 | Mazel | Sean Rodriguez |
| 127 | Wiser | Joselyn Sabillon Corea |
| 128 | Alli | Mikalia Robinson |
Heat I – Championship
First through Third-place winners from Heats I and II will compete in the Semi-Championship round
1st ________________________________________________________
2nd ________________________________________________________
3rd ________________________________________________________
Heat II – Championship
1st ________________________________________________________
2nd ________________________________________________________
3rd ________________________________________________________
Overall Championship
Grand Champion ______________________________________________________
Reserve Champion ______________________________________________________
Honorable Mention ______________________________________________________
This show is in honor of RUTH horse Eden, who we lost to a severe bout of colic a few weeks ago. Eden was only here a short period of time, but he was turning out to be a wonderful teaching horse!
The Horse Handling and Fitting Class Sends a Very Special Thanks To:
Judge: Dr. Amy Lynn Butewicz
Dr. Amy Lynn Butewicz is a lifelong New Jersey resident and equestrian who has immersed herself in many aspects of the equine industry. From an early age, Amy participated in the 4-H horse program on the local, state and national levels garnering many accomplishments. Amy was crowned the 2001 NJ State Equestrian of the Year for her strong leadership background. She continues to give back to youth through her personally sponsored scholarship, the NJ Agricultural Achievement Award. In 2008, Amy graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Rutgers University Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy with a Doctorate Degree (PharmD) in Pharmacy and was a member of Rho Chi, the national pharmacy honor society. Amy’s deep connection to horses, agriculture and open space in New Jersey led her to obtain her real estate license in 2015.
Amy currently works as a full time Realtor for Keller Williams Princeton Real Estate, specializing in equestrian properties, farms and land across the entire state. Amy and her sister, Stacy, operate their real estate team under the Butewicz Equestrian Lifestyle Real Estate banner. In her spare time, Amy enjoys her equestrian pursuits through her riding endeavors as well as her connection to the harness racing industry as a licensed harness horse owner. One of her most memorable moments was in 2019 with her first ownership win with her trotter, Massive Talent, at Freehold Raceway. Amy resides on her farm, Ambition Farm and Stable, in Millstone Township NJ which is home to her personal horses as well as race horses boarded for rest and layup.
Announcer: Dr. Carey Williams, Department of Animal Science, Equine Extension Specialist
Class Supervisor: Dr. Carey Williams
Student Coordinator: Alexis Birch, Klaudia Marcisz, Amelia Puglia, Stephanie Lemanis
Student Supervisors: Aditri Singh, Hannah Hickey, Lyla Naqvi, Stephanie Lemanis, Sakhee Daga, Jolie Said, Alexandra Baburov
T-Shirt Design: Horse Handling and Fitting student, Nathaniel
Emma Feeney, practicum students, and work-study students: Thank you for everything you do—keeping the barn and paddocks clean, caring for the horses, and getting the show area ready. Your hard work means more than you know!
Horse Handling and Fitting Supervisors: Thanks for all of your hard work with the students; you’ve done a GREAT job!
A huge thank you to Dr. Carey Williams! Her dedication makes it possible for students to learn, grow, and build bonds with these amazing horses. We're truly grateful to have her leading this class!