AMES, Iowa – 4-H teams from Muscatine, Jackson, Story, O’Brien and Louisa counties will represent Iowa at national 4-H livestock and meats judging contests from October through January. The teams earned the privilege to represent Iowa 4-H after they received top honors in the 2016 4-H/FFA State Livestock and Meats Judging Contests Aug. 27.
“In these judging contests, 4-H’ers 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,” said Mike Anderson, 4-H youth program specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
Livestock Judging
In the senior 4-H division, Muscatine County took first place in livestock judging among 16 teams and will head to the National 4-H Livestock Judging contest Nov. 15 in Louisville, Ky. The team scored 1,711 points out of the possible 1,950. Team members Tiffany Tomlin, Alyssa Scholz, Tyler DeMoeller and Ryan Calvert were coached by Ashley Wiebe.
Jackson County captured second place, scoring 1,695 points, and will represent Iowa in the American Royal 4-H/FFA Livestock Judging Contest Oct. 27 in Kansas City, Mo. Team members Jeb Schwagger, Brooklyn Moore, Nick Deppe and Alison Hager were coached by Steve Schroeder.
Story County claimed third place with 1,660 points. The Story County team will represent Iowa in the livestock judging contest at the National Western Stock Show in Denver in January 2017. Team members Ashley Kahler, Avery Mather, Jake Sterle and Bryce Niemeyer were coached by Wade Kahler.
In the senior division, Jeb Schwagger from Jackson County finished first as the high individual overall with 596 points. Coming in second was Ashley Kahler from Story County with 586 points. Tiffany Tomlin of Muscatine County finished third with 584 points.
In the junior 4-H division, Sac County topped the nine teams that competed, scoring 1,189 out of a possible 1,900 points. Team members Justin Rupnow, Levi Steinkamp, Cale Niehaus and Aden Vondrak were coached by Larissa Rupnow.
The team from Tama County finished second with 1,184 points. Team members Layne Murty, Connor Murty, Lane Lekin and Delaney Nichols were coached by Julie Gray.
The Worth County team finished third with 1,183 points. Team members Austin Foss, Reece Nelson and Justine Nelson were coached by Dennis Johnson.
For the junior division, Austin Foss of Worth County finished first as the high individual overall with 419 points. Coming in second was Adam Mitchell from Woodbury County with 418 points, and third was Alex Ludeking from Benton County with 413 points.
Overall, 107 youth competed in the junior and senior divisions of the livestock judging contest.
Meats Judging
This year five teams competed in the 4-H meats judging contest.
In the senior division, the team from O’Brien County took top honors with a team total score of 1,927 points. Team members Anna Sells, Colton Meyer, Claire Rierson and Tony Sells were coached by Eric Kumm and will compete at the National 4-H Meat Judging Contest Oct. 18 in Manhattan, Kan.
Taking second place was the Louisa County team, scoring 1,902 points. Members Kenna Lanz, James Wykert, Makenna West and Kristen Osland were coached by Irv Meier. They will compete in the Western National Roundup contest in Denver in January 2017.
The team from Jasper County won the junior division. Justin Vande Lune, Teddy Vande Lune, Jenkin Fulmer and Kennadi Fulmer scored 1,335 points. They were coached by Bre Branderhorst.
Placing second was Eric Mars and Grant Wagner from O’Brien County. The team scored 1,199 points and was coached by Eric Kumm.
The Iowa 4-H Foundation Animal Science Endowment sponsors awards for the contests. More results from the contest can be found at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/livestock-judging.
