Little All-American Dairy Show

The Dairy Club is perhaps best known for the delicious milkshakes they sell at Virginia Tech football and basketball games. However, student members are involved in a multitude of other events as well. One of these events is Little All-American (or LAA). LAA is a Dairy Club tradition, and those who have participated consider it a highlight of their Dairy Club experience.

Little All-American is a dairy showing competition and includes both novice and experienced participants. After the participants are assigned a heifer, they have two weeks to prepare for the show day. During this time, participants are required to perform all of the necessary care for their heifer. Emma Seekford, (2023, APSC, DASC) was able to elaborate on some of the responsibilities associated with Little All American.

“Every morning between the hours of 6:00 and 9:30 a.m., every participant had to feed their heifer, clean out her stall, and work with her for about 30 minutes. Then, every evening, they came back between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. and did the same thing again,” said Seekford.

The workload that comes with LAA may be daunting to potential participants, but LAA is not without its merits. Among these is the opportunity to develop and hone skills associated with dairy handling and showing. Furthermore, another is the sense of community and camaraderie that develops among the participants of Little All American.

Elle Fremerman, (2022, APSC) expierenced these merits for the first time as a senior.

“Being able to participate and show was amazing. I loved how there was a sense of community. Everyone was always willing to help each other out with everything, from bathing to showing,” said Elle.

The additional merits of Little All-American are not exclusive to novice participants. Those who have previous dairy showing experience cherish the opportunity to help new participants and pass on their passion. Gianna Novak (2022, DASC) was Little All-American chair her senior year and summed her experience up with the following:

“The best part about Little All American is watching those students who have never before worked with animals be able to show an animal in two weeks and have them looking nice and walking properly. It’s amazing to watch them interact with the animals and gain experience and enjoyment out of those two weeks".

Established in 1926, the Little All-American has become an annual tradition and is once again open to all students at Virginia Tech after a couple of years of limited participation due to COVID-19.

Article by: Noah Willis, Student Communications Assistant, APSC/DASC