AMES, Iowa – This year, 247 youth from 49 Iowa counties participated in Iowa State University Extension and Outreach skillathons for dairy, meat goat, sheep and swine at the Iowa State Fair. The dairy skillathon was held on Aug. 9, swine and sheep skillathons took place on Aug. 13 and a goat skillathon was held on Aug. 16.
Each skillathon team comprised three individuals and included five stations where youth worked together to solve problems and identify dairy, goat, swine or sheep production components. Participants identified feed samples, breeds and meat cuts while answering questions about genetics, nutrients, quality assurance, handling and welfare.
Amy Powell, animal science agriculture and natural resources specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, developed and coordinated the events.
"One of the main goals of the skillathon is to teach youth life skills like decision making, critical thinking and communication as well as animal husbandry and the science and math involved with raising an animal," Powell said.
All participants received a t-shirt and the top five teams were recognized in dairy, goat and sheep. The top 10 teams were recognized for swine. Awards for the swine skillathon were sponsored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association. The sheep and goat skillathons were sponsored by Premier 1 Supplies, and the Iowa 4-H Foundation Dairy Endowment sponsored the dairy skillathon.
"We offer special thanks to the 54 volunteers from the ISU Department of Animal Science, Iowa Pork Producers and 4-H who served as station facilitators," said Celine Beggs-Shoemaker, Iowa State Fair livestock superintendent and 4-H animal science specialist.
Skillathon winners
Junior Dairy
- Sophia Palmer and Norah Palmer (Allamakee County).
- Landon Guese and Kiele Eberling (Allamakee County).
- Karl Zumbach and Will Zumbach (Delaware County).
- Ellie Simon and Taylor Hilkin (Dubuque County).
- Lily Holthause and Gracie Walz (Fayette County).
Senior Dairy
- Kerigan Alexander and Kylie Oakland (Fayette County).
- Ford Domeyer and Ty Hoeger (Delaware County).
- Natalie Hamlett (Fayette County) and Ethan Palmer (Allamakee County).
- Alexis Oakland and Sarah Dean (Fayette County).
- Hannah Scott and Dillon Sparrgrove (Fayette County).
Swine
- Tucker Rohrig and Taylor Rohrig (Adair County) and Brady Allan (Plymouth County).
- Natalie Clark, Carly Elliot and Caleb Keegan (Linn County).
- Wyatt Baxter and Trudy Baxter (Allamakee County) and Nolan Gaul (Clayton County).
- William Voyles (Sac County), Kooper Bean and Brock White (Buena Vista County).
- Steiger Manson, Kinze Manson and Olivia Hanson (Benton County).
- Tucker Hotz and Beau Keegan (Linn County).
- Sage Voegele (Lyon County), Allison Mehman (Butler County) and Caleigh Lewis (Benton County).
- Bove Morris (Bremer County), Natalie Feltmon (Chickasaw County) and Alyvia McIntosh (Blackhawk County).
- Ashley Mose, Molly Mose and Brooklyn Flenker (Scott County).
- Brady Lensing (Chickasaw County), Marcus Gebel and Alaina Gebel (Allamakee County).
Sheep
- Manson Steiger, Jill Hanson and Olivia Hanson (Benton County).
- Libby Dix, Andrew Dix and Audrey Dix (Linn County).
- Alexis Kolbert and Lily Kolbert (Mitchell County) and Kyle Johnson (Floyd County)
- Gensley Ball (Clay County), Tyler Tungland and Taylor Tungland (Dickinson County).
- Hailey Bucklin, Alexis Gish and Trinity Barth (Polk County).
Meat Goat
- Sydney Stremstarfer, Lilian Buie (Jefferson County) and Zane Smith (Van Buren County).
- Brody Collins and Alana Huff (Poweshiek County) and Jennifer Lohmann (Des Moines County).
- Sawyer Curry and Riley Stolte (Boone County) and Tory Brinds (Chickasaw County).
- Audrey Fisher, Jace Fisher and Haley Copenhauer (Plymouth County).
- Brock White, Kooper Bean and Will Voyles (Buena Vista County).
For more information, please contact Amy Powell at 515-294-3441 or ampowell@iastate.edu.
Shareable photos
- Goat Skillathon Winners.
- Sheep Skillathon Winners.
- Swine Skillathon Winners.
- Junior Dairy Skillathon Winners.
