Becoming queen

Sometimes Olivia Jennrich is dressed in barn attire. Sometimes her choice is casual clothes for a college class. She also wears a tiara.

Jennrich was raised in Jefferson, WI, and although she didn’t grow up on a farm, she spent a lot of time on her grandparents’ dairy farm.

“My grandparents, along with my and aunt and uncle, own Kadence Farm and Gold Rush Guernseys in New Glarus, Wisconsin,” Jennrich said. “I showed Guernseys under the Kadence prefix, and now I’m a fifth-generation Guernsey owner.”

Jennrich began exhibiting cattle with her grandparents when she was old enough to show through 4-H, starting with the county fair and other local competitions. She entered serious dairy competition when she purchased her first Guernsey at age 13, then began adding to her herd.

“I saved babysitting and birthday money,” Jennrich said. “In 2023, I became involved in the Junior Guernsey Breeders Association and wrote an essay on ‘what a Guernsey calf would mean to me.’ I won that contest and was awarded a Guernsey calf, Twizzle.”

That was the start of Jennrich’s serious involvement with Guernsey cattle and the genetics her grandparents had built.

As Jennrich became more involved in showing Guernseys, she knew she was showcasing the cattle her grandparents had been breeding since 1963. She realized the animals she was exhibiting represented many years of careful breeding. When she started growing her own herd, the importance of good genetics became even clearer.

“My big goal is to be a part of genetic progress,” Jennrich said. “I paid for an embryo flush out of our best cow, Kadence Farms Lovely. I used sexed semen and got two bulls and one heifer.”

Although Jennrich would have preferred three heifers from the flush, one of the bull calves born in late 2024 proved to be outstanding as he developed. Jennrich sold this young bull, Kadence Sparta Lottery-ETV, to Guernsey Gold Sires and splits the royalties with her grandparents. Lottery is now on the breed’s genomic list and tops the breed as the #1 udder composite at +2.6 and a foot and leg composite of +2.1.

As Lottery becomes known in the breed, Jennrich’s name as the breeder is becoming more well-known and she knows she’s contributing to genetic progress. Lottery has been available since early 2026, and Jennrich is looking forward to seeing what he produces.

Then there’s college. Jennrich knew she wanted to stay in the dairy industry, and today, she is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying genetics and genomics.

“I originally wanted to be an embryologist,” Jennrich said. “I want to be part of the dairy industry, but I’m not as tied down as I was, and I might look into other options.”

In 2025, she was named the Wisconsin Guernsey Princess. All state Guernsey princesses from across the country who are able make the trip to the host city can compete in the National Guernsey Queen contest. Jennrich and six others traveled to the Syracuse, NY, convention for the competition last year. Judging began with a personal interview, then the candidates were judged in additional contests including prepared public speech, an impromptu question and overall impression. Jennrich was coronated as the National Guernsey Queen, and the runner-up was the National Guernsey Princess Madeline Zweegman, a California native who is currently a student at Purdue.

Jennrich and Zweegman work together to promote the Guernsey breed and the dairy industry. Last week, they were at the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, PA, to hand out ribbons at the All-American National Guernsey Show and other breed shows. They also spent time with fellow Guernsey cattle owners, focusing on youth exhibitors.

Guernsey royalty will be present at all national-level dairy shows, including the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin and the North American International Livestock Exposition in Kentucky. They are present at as many other shows as their schedules allow. At dairy shows, Jennrich enjoys doing interviews and meeting with youth, inspiring them to become involved.

If Jennrich meets someone who is attending a dairy show for the first time, she’s happy to discuss the purpose of the contest. She explains that the cows in the ring are being judged much like in a beauty pageant, but the most beautiful cow is the one that’s the most functional and lives the longest, healthiest life and produces the most milk.

“All of the characteristics and traits the judge is looking for are what make the best cow for the farmer,” Jennrich said. “Bone structure and feet and legs so they can handle different management styles, udder quality when they’re a milking cow – this shows the judge they can produce a lot of milk now and in the future.”

Jennrich explained that a dairy show is an important aspect of promoting purebred dairy cattle because the exhibitors are showcasing the genetics they’ve bred for. Winning a show provides an advertising advantage for those cattle, embryos and semen. For those who may have preconceived notions about how show cattle are managed, Jennrich assures them that cattle are cared for and comfortable because “to look their best they have to feel their best.”

“I know I treat my animals with respect and dignity,” Jennrich said. “Something important that younger exhibitors learn is how to take care of animals that can’t speak to us. This is a unique experience the public can learn from.”

An important goal Jennrich is committed to is sharing the great aspects of the Guernsey breed with young people. Part of that is meeting them through social media.

Jennrich relies heavily on social media because it has the biggest reach to youth. She hopes to be an inspiration and enlighten Guernsey youth, owners and exhibitors across the country and shed a light on everything Guernseys offer. She works to make the social media she manages relatable to the dairy industry to help educate the public.

For Jennrich, helping youth stay in or enter the dairy industry is goal #1.

“I’m trying to promote youth involvement in the dairy industry and inspire them to become more involved,” Jennrich said. “To do what they can and have an influence in the dairy industry. Not everyone decides to continue what their parents or grandparents did, but there are people outside the industry we can bring in. I want to get them involved.”

Search “National Guernsey Royalty” to follow them on Facebook.

by Sally Colby