May 18, 2026 – Riley Sheppard of Orland was selected as the 2026 Dairy Princess for the California Milk Advisory Board’s (CMAB) District 3 in a crowning event on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
Riley will represent District 3, which includes Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, and Yuba counties. As Dairy Princess, she will play a key role in meeting CMAB’s community relations objectives.
Riley is the daughter of Cassie Thain and is a junior at Orland High School. She has shown dairy cattle at shows across the state and is an active member of the Orland Future Farmers of America and Capay 4-H. Riley is a member of Med Ed Club and the high school yearbook and publication group.
Crowned Alternate Dairy Princess, Norah Reimers, daughter of Lindsay and Luke Reimers, is a junior at Orland High School. Her great-grandparents owned a dairy, and she showed dairy heifers at the Glenn County Fair. Norah is on the varsity volleyball, basketball, and golf teams. She is an active member of the Future Farmers of America and currently serves as Chapter Treasurer.
Norah will assist Riley in her duties as Dairy Princess, which includes speaking on behalf of the California dairy industry to various audiences throughout the year. As Dairy Princess and Alternate, Riley and Norah will attend a professional development training focused on presentation skills, advocating for the California dairy industry, leadership, and business etiquette.
Candidates were judged on speaking ability, education, dairy background, poise, and personality.
For more information about the District 3 Dairy Princess contest and Dairy Princess events, please contact District 3 Chairperson Marlene Silveira at [email protected].
California is the nation’s leading milk producer, and makes more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. California is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made with milk from the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable farming practices
