AMES, Iowa – The Jefferson County 4-H livestock judging team placed first among 10 teams in the 2008 state judging contest Aug. 23 at Iowa State University.  The four-member team scored 1,446 points out of the possible 1,800. 

Hancock County took second, scoring 1,403 points, and Buena Vista County took third with 1,398 points.

The Jefferson County team will represent Iowa in the National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest in Louisville, Ky.  Team members include Brandon Ledger of Stockport, Shelby Moothart of Fairfield, Hannah Knapp of Bloomfield, and Colton Smith, also of Fairfield. Their coach is Bill Goehring of Libertyville.

The Hancock County team will represent Iowa at the American Royal in Kansas City.  Team members include Kyle Greiman, Morgan Greiman, Courtney Jass and Brittany Weaver, all of Garner.  The team is coached by Ted Greiman. 

Representing Iowa in the livestock judging contest at the National Western Stock Show in Denver will be the team from Buena Vista County. Team members are Kathleen and Luke Arnts, both of Alta, Chris Sievers of Albert City and Austin Ehlers of Storm Lake.  The team is coached by Kent Smith of Storm Lake.
 
Forty-eight 4-H’ers competed in the individual livestock judging competition.  The top individual livestock judge was Brandon Ledger of Jefferson County with 501 points out of 600.  Placing second was Chris Sievers of Buena Vista County with a score of 485. Third place went to Ross Lilienthal of Scott County also with 485 points (tie broken on oral reasons score).  Each of these individuals received a plaque to recognize the accomplishment.

In the 4-H Meats division, one team and six individuals competed along with the state FFA teams.  The first place team, and Iowa’s representative to the National 4-H Meats Contest in Kansas, was from Worth County. Team members included Mitchell Moretz, Briar Tenold, Reid Clagett and Rob Nelson. The team was coached by Dennis Johnson. 

The objectives of the Iowa 4-H Judging Contests are for the 4-H’ers to learn modern livestock and meat evaluation methods, practice decision-making and communication skills and develop the ability to select livestock appropriate for a defined production purpose.

Each contestant presented sets of oral reasons for the livestock contest and written reasons for the meats contest describing his or her thoughts on why the animals were placed in a specific order.

The Iowa 4-H Foundation Animal Science Endowment sponsors awards for the contests.

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