2003 Bremer County - John Droste

John Droste started 4-H in Bremer County around 1934 as a member of the Washington Herdsman. He showed Ayrshires at the Bremer County Fair, National Cattle Congress, Iowa State Fair, and other shows. At the Iowa State Fair and the National Cattle Congress he helped Bremer County win several Herdsman awards. In 1938 Bremer Co. started judging workouts and in 1940 a judging contest was held at the Bremer Co. Fair and a team was selected to judge at the State contest in Waterloo at Cattle Congress. John was a member of that team. The team won the State contest that year and went on to judge at the National contest in Memphis, Tenn. The team place 2nd Nationally and John was second highest individual.

After winning many awards as a member he became a leader of the Washington Herdsman for a short time. John was also the Assistant Diary Superintendent and the Dairy Superintendent at the Bremer County Fair and was very helpful to the members. John has been a member of the Bremer County Fair Board for many years and still holds the position of Fair Board Treasurer at this time. He has given many hours of his time and talents to the Fairgrounds and the 4-H program in Bremer County. Several of the buildings on the Fairgrounds bear his name in honor of all the work he has put into them.