4-H members from the Southwind Extension District excelled at the annual Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes event on August 20-21 in Kansas State University’s Weber Hall. Participants from the Southwind Extension District were Leah Mueller, Emery Yoho, Byron Fry, Kristy Beene, Carly Dreher, Tate Crystal, Kyser Nemecek, Aidan Yoho, Haleigh O’Brien, Gwen Fry and Brady Hurt.
4-H members gained new knowledge and worked on livestock skills in order to be competitive in the Sweepstakes event which consisted of blending scores in four contests. Southwind Extension District completed the weekend by being named the 2022 Champion and Sixth Overall Kansas State 4-H Sweepstakes Teams. Top 10 individual Sweepstakes winners for Southwind were Aidan Yoho, third, and Tate Crystal 10th, after excelling in all contests.
The Livestock Quiz Bowl started with a qualifying exam. The 12 teams with the highest average scores advanced to the quiz bowl competition. Southwind #2 (A. Yoho, Crystal, Dreher, Nemecek) was seated second after the test and was later named the Reserve Champion Quiz Bowl Team. Southwind #1 (O’Brien, E. Yoho, G. Fry, Mueller) earned third best team.
The Livestock Judging contest consisted of nine judging classes and four sets of reasons with 228 contestants and 43 teams from across Kansas. Southwind #2 (A. Yoho, Dreher, Crystal, Nemecek) was 4th in Sheep; 2nd in Hogs; 1st in Cattle and 1st in Reasons and named Third Team Overall. Southwind #1 (E. Yoho, O’Brien, Hurt, Mueller) was 3rd in Sheep; 3rd in Hogs; 5th in Cattle; 5th in Reasons and named Fifth High Team Overall.
Individual livestock judging results:
Haleigh O’Brien – 8th Sheep
Carly Dreher – 7th Sheep; 8th Hogs; 5th Reasons; 7th Overall
Brady Hurt – 3rd Sheep; 9th Hogs; 8th Overall
Kyser Nemecek – 7th Hogs; 4th Beef; 2nd Reasons; 6th Overall
Tate Crystal – 6th Hogs
Leah Mueller – 4th Hogs
Aidan Yoho – 19th Overall
The Meats Judging contest was based on identification of thirty retail cuts, six placings classes and three sets of reasons. Southwind #2 (Crystal, B. Fry, G. Fry, A Yoho) was 1st in Placings, 9th in Reasons, 2nd in Retail ID and Third Team Overall.
Individual meats judging results:
Byron Fry – 5th Placings
Aidan Yoho – 7th Identification; 10th Overall
Gwen Fry – 8th Placings; 10th Identification; 8th Overall
Carly Dreher – 9th Placings
In the Livestock Skillathon, 4-H members rotated individually through stations that addressed six areas of animal science. Those included feedstuffs, breed identification, equipment identification, meat identification, wool evaluation and a written test. There was also a team component where members worked together on evaluating quality assurance protocols, and judging wool. Southwind #2 (Crystal, Dreher, O’Brien, A. Yoho) was 2nd in Exam, 1st in ID; and Champion Team Overall.
Individual Skillathon results:
Aidan Yoho – 1st Identification; 10th Exam; High Individual Overall
Tate Crystal – 3rd Identification; 3rd Overall
Haleigh O’Brien – 9th Overall; 7th Exam
This group worked hard and studied a great deal of material to prepare for four state contests. To be named the Champion Skillathon Team, Reserve Champion Quiz Bowl Team, third and fifth Overall Livestock Judging Teams, and Overall Champion Sweepstakes Team at the state contests shows how hard these 4-H members pushed each other to “Make the Best Better.”
