A Michigan teenager is hoping to add a few more championships showing cattle before the sun sets on the twilight of her 4-H career.

Irene Nielsen, 18, is the only 4-H youth to win top prize for showing dairy cattle in the junior and senior divisions since the junior division was created several years ago, said Glenda Weiss, the Ingham County 4-H Coordinator for Michigan State University.

During last year’s Ingham County Fair, Nielson not only took first place for showing her dairy cow in the senior division, but her beef cow won grand champion steer.

“I did not expect him to turn out as well as he did, but I put in a lot of work last summer to get him where he needed to be and he ended up being champion,” she said. She has also brought home top honors in other competitions showing cattle since joining 4-H when she was 9.

Nielsen gives a lot of credit to her success to mentors in the 4-H program for honing her skills in selecting good breeding stock and getting the best out of her animals and herself in the show ring.

Becoming a dairy cattle judge with other 4-H youth for several years also gave her insight on mistakes to avoid in the show ring. “It’s been a really good opportunity that I would not have without 4-H,” she said.

Nielsen just completed her freshman year at Iowa State University where she is majoring in dairy sciences. Her minor is in communication and public relations.

She has two fair seasons of eligibility left in 4-H as youth in Michigan can take part in the program until they turn 20.

Weiss said Nielsen is very calm in the ring and responds well to the behavior of the cow. Those are among the difference makers for her in competitions. “It’s her ring presence,” she said.

Nielsen’s success and love for cattle might have something to do with her mother, Miriam, who grew up on a large dairy farm near Frankenmuth.

Her mother and father also work in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University.

Initially, her parents kept horses on their property outside Lansing, but added several head of cattle while Irene was basically still a toddler. Miriam Nielsen said her daughter, before entering grade school, was bottle feeding milk to the baby calves delivered to their property from her parents’ dairy farm.

About five years later, Nielsen said her daughter purchased her own two heifer calves and later became co-owner of several dairy cows in partnerships with surrounding milk producers.

Currently, Nielsen owns 15 head of cattle kept mostly at dairy farms. Her beef cattle are on a 30-acre spread at home. “She’s a go getter. She really works hard for sure,” Miriam Nielsen said.

Irene Nielsen explained her drive stems from the positive vibes of having common interests with other people involved in 4-H. She also enjoys winning and performing at a high level in the show ring.

Nielsen said she also doesn’t want to walk away from a competition with any regrets.

“If you put your full effort in and, even if you don’t win, you know you did everything you could to get your animal looking the best,” she said.

Right now, Nielsen said her goal after receiving her degree is to work in the dairy industry in some capacity, perhaps, in public affairs.

Weiss feels Nielsen will do well in whatever future career path she chooses. She said Nielsen is very active in helping younger members of 4-H.

Weiss also described her as outgoing, friendly, polite and willing to share information. “She’s a wonderful person to work with and to have in our program.  She’s a very good ambassador for the program and for agriculture in general,” Weiss said.