For her, dairy judging is more than a competition; it’s a way to better understand the animals she’s grown up around her entire life.

“I show dairy animals, I know cows,” Eldredge shared. “I felt like judging fit in with that and would make me better at showing them if I could know what the judges are looking for.”

The process involves looking at both functionality and aesthetics.

“The first thing you will focus on is their udder…making sure that the udder is square, there are no lumps, and it is even,” she explained. “Then I break it down to their legs, of course, because that’s what is carrying them around every day.”

When competing with the FFA, the day often starts before sunrise with hands-on group preparation. After morning practices, the team splits up to prepare for the competition. For Eldredge, even those final quiet moments before an event is filled with focus.

“While I get ready, I like having somebody kind of talk to me about different oral reasonings for why I’d judge an animal the way I do,” she said. “I like extra practice.”

Understanding animal health, diet, bedding and environment is just as critical as judging form — and gaining knowledge like that is critical for competitions, but also for the agricultural industry in general.

“I feel like outside of FFA, to know that kind of stuff will really help my understanding of agriculture grow and offer me a better understanding of the animals and their whole anatomy,” she emphasized. “It’s not just a competition; it’s knowledge that would be good for anyone to have.”

Elegance and dairy character, she said, are what finalize her decisions when judging.

One of the most memorable experiences with her FFA chapter this year took place in Richmond.

“Down there was probably the most different out of everywhere else we’ve been,” she recalled. “It was pretty fancy. The animals were so cleaned up, so properly presented, it was really nice to see.”

Still, there’s something about the simplicity of everyday farm life that stands out most.

“I do enjoy being able to just judge normal cattle in a pen,” Eldredge emphasized. “You’re getting to look at a real cow that’s going through milkings every day…they’re living the real life rather than this fancy show kind of life.”

Eldredge only has good things to say about FFA. If she had any advice to give, she said, it would be to be patient and join your local chapter of the FFA.

“It starts with being patient. If you don’t enjoy it, the work will feel harder. But being in the FFA group makes it extra fun,” she said. “It’s a very diverse and inclusive group. Even if you’re not involved in agriculture outside of FFA, you are welcome in. You can learn, and you can experience things you might never have otherwise.”