Growing, learning and making memories that last a lifetime at Gopher Dairy Camp

By Simon Yang, agricultural communication and marketing, BS '26

This year, the Gopher Dairy Camp once again kicked off at the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus in June, marking its 20th year. The camp was filled with fun, interactive, and educational activities, bringing in students in 6th to 9th grade from the Midwest.

Gopher Dairy Camp is a three-day service activity organized by the Gopher Dairy Club every June, targeting youth interested in dairy and those within the 4-H project space. The camp provides skills essential for showcasing animals at fairs and competitions, from clipping and hair-cutting (fitting) to presenting an animal to judges (showmanship). Campers also participate in informative and interactive workshops relating to dairy. The camp sees over 40 participants each year, with many campers returning for a different experience each time.

Day 1 of camp: The icebreakers and Gopher Gold 

Upon arriving on campus and getting checked in, campers reconnected with friends or made new ones through icebreaker activities. Some popular icebreaker activities included bingo, rock-paper-scissors, and meet your calf partner, a game that determines who each individual will work with throughout camp.

Campers were also introduced to Gopher Gold, the camp's currency. Campers earned this by participating and completing various activities such as trivia, physical exercises, and interactions with fellow campers. Gopher Gold was used in a mock auction; a real auctioneer hosted an auction where each group bids to purchase their calf, providing a fun and engaging experience. This process showed how auctions operate and what it’s like selecting a calf. Each group met their calf before heading to their dorms, where they did fun activities before calling it a night.

Day 2 and 3: Applying theory to practice with fun 

To kick off day two, campers attended a dairy-based workshop. Workshops are rotated through each year, with experts giving each group a different experience, especially returning campers. This year, an expert was brought in to teach the science behind dairy products. This workshop provided campers insight into how dairy nutrition works and how we digest different types of dairy products. To finish this workshop, campers made ice cream and cheese, adding a fun and delicious experience, putting science to the test, and proving to be a highlight this year.

Once the workshop wrapped up, campers headed to Sky Zone for fun. This gave them some fun off-campus before returning to attend a fitting workshop. The workshop teaches the skills necessary to clip calves and also allows students to apply theory to practice with their partner. Upon completion, the day ended with a mock showmanship contest, gearing them up for the next day and teaching them professionalism, confidence, and teamwork.

The final day concludes with a showmanship contest, where campers showcased their fitting and showmanship skills from camp. Campers prepare their calf in the morning, before competing in a friendly competition. The showmanship contest is divided into two brackets, based on experience. All participants walk away with prizes, with the champions and the winner of the best fit cow award receiving additional prizes.

Each year as Gopher Dairy Camp concludes, everyone walks away with a new experience. The camp educates participants about cows and teaches them fitting and showmanship skills, emphasizing professionalism and teamwork. What’s magical is how quickly campers learn, adapt, and how the connections they make can last a lifetime.