105th Annual Rutgers Day/Ag Field Day
Animal Fitting and Exhibition Contests
April 27, 2024
Sponsored by The Society of Animal Science and the Department of Animal Sciences.
Welcome to the 105th Annual Ag Field Day Animal Contests!
We welcome you to the 105th 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, Austin, and Nico. 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 a range of dog treats. 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 105th 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
| DOG | 9:00 AM | Skelley Field |
| HORSE | 10:00 AM | Red Barn |
| SWINE | 10:00 AM | Swine Finishing Platforms |
| SHEEP | 10:00 AM | Sheep Barn |
| CATTLE | 11:30 AM | Heifer Barn |
| GOAT | 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 and greet 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 Rutgers Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club 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 10am - 3pm (the line will CLOSE at 2:30 pm) and spend some time with the Rutgers University Veterinary Science Club!
Food and Souvenirs
Companion Animal Club (on Red Oak Lane): Paw printing station and button making
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: Club apparel
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 |
| Angel D’Oleo | Senior Research Farmer - 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!
Dedication to Dr. Barry Jesse
Dr. Barry Jesse has been a dedicated professor for nearly thirty-eight years. Not only did he leave his mark on the students in his classes, he was also an active participant in the barbecue hosted on Ag-Field Day. The animal science courses and research he taught inspired so many of his students to continue their studies. His guidance as an academic advisor helped many animal science students achieve their goals throughout their years at Rutgers. His funny anecdotes and "teachable moments" he shared in lecture will forever be remembered for the students that were fortunate enough to hear and enjoy them. After many years of work, on behalf of all the animal science students, we will miss his passion towards the animal science field and wish him a happy and healthy retirement.
SWINE
Class 1
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Clementine | Lara Valverde |
| Gilly | Kailah Pyron |
| Ham Solo | Bedig Tourousian |
| Binnie | Jahla Brown |
Class 2
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Pepper | Stella Ahn |
| Pumpkin | Sa’ni Freeman |
| Taylor | Tatiana Garcia |
| Abraham | Dan Goldstein |
Class 3
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Chomp | Victoria Walsh |
| Pigtails | Megan Phu |
| Oscar | Alex Kokolis |
| Joe | Laysa Fonseca-Teixeira |
Class 4
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Acorn | Nilya Taylor |
| Piggy Smallz | Ivan Perez |
| Sharky | Victoria Ofcanska |
Class 5
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Petal | Joan Nwokoro |
| Cheerios | Vanessa Lee |
| Kugel | Miranda Rosenbaum |
| April | Madison Goffredo |
Final Class - 1st Place of Each Class
First place winners from each class will compete for Grand Champion and 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: Sarah Van Name
Class Supervisor: Professor Henry Bignell (Rutgers Faculty)
Student Coordinator: Stefanie Piccinich
Student Supervisors: Stefanie Piccinich, Nicole Ficken, Karyme Hernandez- Balboa, Jailene M. Huancaya, Ashley J. Sanchez, and Sarah Van Name
T-Shirt Design: Nicole Ficken, animal science undergraduate student
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 |
|---|---|
| Raven | Jacob Bazer |
| Madeline | Sophie Rathgerber |
| Dumpling | Delaney Dittenhofer |
| Mai Fun | Max Wu |
Class 2
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Sundae | Justin Suquinagua |
| Wendie | Lucy Partin |
| Becky | Molly Grimaldi |
| Joey | Kathleen Prete |
Class 3
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Raven | Melissa Ramirez Cubero |
| Madeline | Sarah Keppler |
| Dumpling | Gabi Mazariegos |
| Mai Fun | Hyo Ju Lee |
Class 4
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Sundae | Hajar Elidrissi |
| Wendie | Bella Javier |
| Becky | Sabrina Moreira |
| Joey | Lynnette Chang |
Final Class - 1st Place of Each Class
First place winners from each class will compete for Grand Champion and Reserve Champion.
The Sheep Handling and Fitting Class Sends a Very Special Thanks To:
Judge: Mackenzie Matikonis
Mackenzie Matkonis worked on the Rutgers Farm as a student from 2016 to 2019. During her time as a student, she showed beef and dairy cattle for Ag Field Day, which is what began her showmanship career.
Mackenzie has been raising nubian dairy goats for seven years and has recently started to show them again. She has been judging youth and 4-H sheep and goat shows for the past couple of years. Currently, she is working toward becoming a licensed ADGA judge for dairy goats.
Announcer: Santiago Mesa Botero
Class Supervisors Dr. Taylor Ross (Rutgers Faculty)
Student Coordinator: Lindsey Porzio
Student Supervisors: Santiago Mesa Botero, Curtis Lively, Gentiana Lecaj, Justice Denmon, Kaylee Reyes, Maddie Atkins
T-Shirt Design: Sabrina Moreira, animal science undergraduate student
Rebecca Potosky, practicum students, and work-study students: Thanks for all of your hard work keeping the barn clean, helping with the horses, and getting the show area ready and in working shape. You are appreciated more than you know!
Sheep Handling and Fitting Supervisors: Thanks for all of your hard work with the students; you’ve done a GREAT job!
Thank you Dr. Ross for teaching this class and helping students learn about goat and sheep showmanship. We appreciate your dedication to this class and your hard work!
GOATS
Class 1
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Venice | Courtney McCarroll |
| Flounder | Pheona Lam |
| Perch | Mario Esquivel |
| Tuna | Diya Patel |
Class 2
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Skyy | Brooke Hurni |
| Gin | Marisa Olavarria |
| Minnow | Amanda Witkowski |
| Sunny | Ny’asia Frost |
Class 3
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Venice | Isabella Vallejo |
| Flounder | Danielle Papatrefon |
| Perch | Jair Blanco |
| Tuna | Ava Jagiello |
Class 4
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Skyy | Larissa Szeremeta |
| Gin | Naydeline Navarrete |
| Minnow | Layla Jennings-Smalls |
| Sunny | Ariana Gallardo |
Final Class - 1st Place of Each Class
First place winners from each class will compete for Grand Champion and Reserve Champion.
The Goat Handling and Fitting Class Sends a Very Special Thanks To:
Judge: Mackenzie Matikonis
Mackenzie Matkonis worked on the Rutgers Farm as a student from 2016 to 2019. During her time as a student, she showed beef and dairy cattle for Ag Field Day, which is what began her showmanship career.
Mackenzie has been raising nubian dairy goats for seven years and has recently started to show them again. She has been judging youth and 4-H sheep and goat shows for the past couple of years. Currently, she is working toward becoming a licensed ADGA judge for dairy goats.
Announcer: Charles McCloud
Class Supervisor: Dr. Taylor Ross (Rutgers Faculty)
Student Coordinator: Lindsey Porzio
Student Supervisors: Sophia Solewater, Jackie LaChow, Lindsey Porzio, Charles McCloud, Elizabeth O’Keefe
T-Shirt Design: Naydeline Navarrete, animal science undergraduate student
Rebecca Potosky, practicum students, and work-study students: Thanks for all of your hard work keeping the barn clean, helping with the horses, and getting the show area ready and in working shape. You are appreciated more than you know!
Goat Handling and Fitting Supervisors: Thanks for all of your hard work with the students; you’ve done a GREAT job!
Thank you Dr. Ross for teaching this class and helping students learn about goat and sheep showmanship.We appreciate your dedication to this class and your hard work!
CATTLE
Class 1
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Beast | Deanna Gaspard |
| Enzo | Ryan Hart |
| Benny | Raychele Wade |
| Flame | Hailey Awad |
| Cherry | Isabelle Diaz |
Class 2
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Dewey | Madeline Young |
| Black Pearl | Jennifer Malaver |
| Indigo | Isabella Alvarez |
| Bruno | Gelleane Amarra |
| Duke | Jie Mao |
Class 3
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Beast | Guillermo Aldaz |
| Enzo | Amber Nunez |
| Benny | Allure Gray |
| Flame | Tessa McDonald |
| Cherry | Sabrina Kim |
Class 4
| Animal Name | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Dewey | Jalen Lucien |
| Black Pearl | Saige Lorenzo |
| Indigo | Nadia Sambolin |
| Bruno | Gabriela Valente |
| Duke | Juliana Stump |
Final Class - 1st Place of Each Class
First place winners from each class will compete for Grand Champion and 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: Jordan R. Lees
Class Supervisor: Professor Henry Bignell (Rutgers faculty)
Student Coordinator: Stefanie Piccinich
Student Supervisors: Stefanie Piccinich, Jessica P. Gromkoski, Anthony A. Di Nardo, Colt Grzankowski, Amani K. Hill, Martina E. Lavender, Jordan R. Lees, Jinayah N. Lighty, Madison E. Ng
T-Shirt Design: Colt Grzankowski, 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!
HORSE SHOW 2024
Class I - (not to start before 10 am)
| Show # | Horse | Student Handler |
|---|---|---|
| 118 | Marci | Paul Alves |
| 119 | Cougar | Ryland Hagan |
| 120 | Mazel | Camryn Messer |
| Show # | Horse | Student Handler |
|---|---|---|
| 121 | Wiser | Hannah Hickey |
| 122 | Spats | Cierra Simmons |
| 123 | Linker | Colt Grzankowski |
Class I - Championship
First- and second-place winners from Heats I and II will compete for Grand Champion and Reserve Champion.
Class II
| Show # | Horse | Student Handler |
|---|---|---|
| 124 | Marci | Bella Moran |
| 125 | Cougar | Aditri Singh |
| 126 | Mazel | Gilana Rincon |
| 127 | Wiser | Kirstin Solvesen |
| 128 | Linker | Lyla Naqvi |
The Horse Handling and Fitting Class Sends a Very Special Thanks To:
Judge: Rebecca Bittner
Rebecca Bittner earned her B.S. in Animal Science in 2016 and her M.A.S. in Applied Science in 2019 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her graduate work focused on developing a Virtual Horse Judging School for youth and collegiate team members, coaches and anyone interested in preparing for horse judging contests. She is now the Equine Coordinator at the University of Maryland-College Park where her focus is Equine 4-H Youth Development. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends and judging horse shows!
Announcer: Dr. Carey Williams, Department of Animal Science, Equine Extension Specialist
Class Supervisor: Dr. Carey Williams (Rutgers faculty)
Student Coordinator: Payton Sweetman
Student Supervisors: Leylana Ashley, Sakhee Daga, Amelia Puglia, Ragavi Raman, Payton Sweetman, Azreal Scarpelli, Melissa Obrizan, Klaudia Marcisz, Jolie Said, Stephanie Lemanis, Natalie Kazar
T-Shirt Design: Horse Handling and Fitting student, Bella Moran
Emma Feeney, practicum students, and work-study students: Thanks for all of your hard work keeping the barn and paddocks clean, helping with the horses, and getting the show area ready and in working shape. You are appreciated 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! Without all of her hard work and devotion to this class, students would not have the opportunity to learn how to work with and grow a bond with these horses. We are truly grateful to have Dr. Williams teaching this class!