POINT LOOKOUT, MO — The College of the Ozarks W. Alton Jones Dairy, supervised by Dairy Manager Ryan Bilyeu and Assistant Dairy Manager Dylan Erwin, attended the Missouri State Fair Aug. 7-17, in Sedalia, Missouri, and the Ozark Empire Fair, July 24 – Aug. 2, in Springfield, Missouri. Bilyeu and Erwin traveled with students to present the best Holstein, Ayrshire, and Guernsey dairy cattle. Senior Layla Giorgianni, mathematics education major; senior Morgan Westerman, animal science major; junior Dally Wiesner, elementary education major; sophomore Rachel Baretich, video production major; senior Owen Pritchett, agriculture education major; and Renee Hayes, freshman agriculture education major were chosen to represent the work of the dairy on this trip.
“Winning these awards is testament to the student’s dedication and teamwork,” Bilyeu said. “Our students are passionate about their work and put in lots of early mornings and late nights to make this possible.”
The dairy was recognized as Intermediate Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, and Premier Breeder at the Missouri State Fair with five first place recognitions. The first-place categories included: Holstein Senior Two-year old, Holstein Senor Three-year old, Missouri Holstein Three-year-old, Ayrshire Fall Heifer, and Ayrshire Junior Three-year-old. They also took home seven second place awards and a total of 21 awards at the Missouri Fair.
At the Ozark Empire Fair, the dairy earned 12 first place awards in addition to receiving top recognitions as Intermediate Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, Premier Exhibitor, and Premier Breeder. They also took home three second place awards and a total of 22 awards at the Ozark Fair.
“I am proud of the students and their commitment,” Erwin said. “The cattle may get the ribbons, but it’s the students’ care, day in and day out, that really shines. Their work ethic and willingness to learn is what makes this program and the College so special.”
There are approximately 30 students working in the dairy, and each student works two or three shifts each week. The students in the dairy farm workstation perform many tasks, including caring for the cows, bottle-feeding, milking, mixing of feed for the cows, and more.
Pritchett, also agriculture education club president, shared about what working in the dairy means to her:
“Through daily hands-on involvement, I’ve developed not only skills, but a passion for the dairy industry, livestock and agriculture,” Pritchett said. “Compared to many other agricultural colleges, we’re at an advantage: instead of just field trips or short internships, we get to apply what we’re learning every single day in our workstation.”
“For many students it’s not just our workstation; it’s our family and passion,” Giorgianni said. “I think that is reflected in our awards.”
After completing their time at College of the Ozarks and working in the dairy, most graduates hold positions such as herd managers, feed salespeople, loan officers, agricultural teachers or professors, and veterinarians.
College of the Ozarks rankings at Missouri State Fair
Missouri State Fair
- Holstein Intermediate Champion
- Holstein Reserve Grand Campion
- Holstein Premier Breeder
- First Place Holstein Senior Two-year-old
- First Place Senior Holstein Three-year-old
- First Place Missouri Holstein Three-year-old
- First Place Ayrshire Fall Heifer
- First Place Ayrshire Junior Three-year-old
- Second Place Holstein Fall Heifer
- Second Place Holstein Junior Best Three Females
- Second Place Missouri Holstein Three-year-old
- Second Place Holstein Dairy Herd
- Second Place Holstein Exhibitors Herd
- Second Place Ayrshire Daughter/Dam
- Third Place Holstein Senior Three-year-old
- Fourth Place Holstein Senior Two-year-old
- Seventh Place Holstein Winter Heifer
- Eighth Place Guernsey Fall Heifer
- Tenth Place Holstein Winder Heifer
College of the Ozarks rankings at Ozark Empire Fair
Ozark Empire Fair
- Holstein Intermediate Champion
- Holstein Reserve Grand Campion
- Holstein Premier Exhibitor
- Holstein Premier Breeder
- First Place Holstein Summer Yearling Heifer
- First Place Holstein Junior Best Three Females
- First Place Holstein Senior Two-year-old
- First Place Holstein Senior Three-year-old
- First Place Holstein Best Three Females
- First Place Holstein Dairy Herd
- First Place Holstein Exhibitors Herd
- First Place Holstein Produce of Dam
- First Place Holstein Daughter/Dam
- First Place Ayrshire Fall Heifer
- First Place Ayrshire Junior Three-year-old
- First Place Ayrshire Daughter/Dam
- Second Place Guernsey Fall Heifer
- Second Place Holstein Fall Heifer
- Second Place Holstein Two-year-old
- Third Place Holstein Summer Yearling Heifer
- Sixth Place Holstein Winter Heifer
- Ninth Place Holstein Winter Heifer
For additional information, contact Public Relations Director Valorie Coleman at (417) 690-2212.
About College of the Ozarks
College of the Ozarks is a private, Christian, liberal arts college, located in Point Lookout, Missouri, on a 1,000-acre campus. Christian values, hard work, and fiscal responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U.” experience. The College earns numerous accolades yearly, including No. 1 Best Performers on Social Mobility-Regional Colleges in the Midwest and No. 3 Best Regional College in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for 2025-2026 and No. 2 Best Bang for the Buck by Washington Monthly, 2025. To achieve its vision, the College pursues academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic, and cultural goals. These goals are mirrored in School of the Ozarks, a laboratory school that completes the K-college model.
The Keeter Center — the College’s award-winning lodge, restaurant, and conference facility — earns awards consistently, including the Tripadvisor Best of the Best Award 2024 for dining, Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award 2025 for lodging, and the Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 from ConventionSouth magazine for meeting and event spaces. The Keeter Center features historic lodging, fine dining, and meeting rooms. With more than 350 student workers, it is the largest workstation on campus.
College of the Ozarks
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Valorie Coleman Public Relations Director
- September 30, 2025
- (417) 690-2212
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