SOUTHWIND 4-H MEMBERS WIN 3 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

4-H members from the Southwind Extension District excelled at the annual Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes event on August 18-19 in Kansas State University’s Weber Hall. Participants from the Southwind Extension District were Gavin Fry, Sadie Marchiano, Danielle Nading, Kolby Seested, Clay Brillhart, Jillian Keller, Brody Nemecek, Haydon Schaaf, Carly Dreher, Brooklyn Pruitt, Zach Snyder, Aidan Yoho, Kristyn Beene, Gwen Fry and Dylan Hazelbaker representing 4-H Clubs from Allen, Bourbon and Woodson Counties.

4-H members learned 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 2018 Champion and 3^rd Overall Kansas State 4-H Sweepstakes Teams. Top ten individual Sweepstakes winners for Southwind were Clay Brillhart 8^th, Brody Nemecek 5^th, Gavin Fry 4^th and Haydon Schaaf was named High Individual Overall after excelling in all contests.

The Livestock Quiz Bowl started with a qualifying exam. The eight teams with the highest average scores advanced to the quiz bowl competition. Southwind #2 (Seested, Fry, Schaaf, Nemecek) was seated first after the test and was later named the Champion Quiz Bowl Team where they won the final match 265 points to 40 points. Southwind #1 (Nading, Keller, Brillhart, Marchiano) also scored well on the quiz and were seated as the #2 team.

The Livestock Judging contest consisted of nine judging classes and four sets of reasons with 227 contestants and 42 teams from across Kansas. Southwind #2 (Brillhart, Nemecek, Keller, Schaaf) was 1^st in Sheep/Goats; 1^st in Swine; 1^st in Cattle and 1^st in Reasons and named Champion Team Overall. Southwind #1 (Gavin Fry, Marchiano, Seested, Nading) was 4^th in Sheep/Goats; 2^nd in Swine; 2^nd in Cattle; 2^nd in Reasons and named Reserve High Team Overall. Individually, Clay Brillhart was High Individual in Swine, 4^th in Sheep/Goats, 4^th in Cattle, High Individual in Reasons and 2^nd High Individual Overall; Kolby Seested was 5^th in Swine, 10^th in Sheep/Goats, 8^th in Reasons, and 8^th Individual Overall; Haydon Schaaf was 4^th in Swine; Brody Nemecek was 3^rd in Swine, 2^nd in Sheep/Goats, 8^th in Cattle, 5^th in Reasons and 3^rd High Individual; Danielle Nading was 2^nd in Swine, 8^th in Sheep/Goats, 3^rd in Cattle, 3^rd in Reasons, and 4^th High Individual; Jillian Keller was 6^th in Swine, 9^th in Sheep/Goats, 6^th in Cattle, 6^th in Reasons, and 6^th Individual Overall; Sadie Marchiano was 10^th in Reasons.  As the State Champion Livestock Judging Team, Southwind District will represent Kansas 4-H at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO next January.

The Meats Judging contest was based on the identification of thirty retail cuts, six placings classes and three sets of reasons. Haydon Schaaf was named 2^nd in Retail ID, 3^rd in Placings and 2^nd High Individual Overall; Gavin Fry was 9^th in Retail ID, 10^th in Placings and 8^th Individual Overall; Sadie Marchiano was 3^rd in Reasons; Aidan Yoho was 11^th in Reasons; Clay Brillhart was 10^th In ID; Southwind #2 (Schaaf, Fry, Brillhart, Nemecek) was 2^nd in Reasons, 2^nd in Retail ID and Reserve Champion Team Overall.  Southwind #1 (Keller, Marchiano, Nading, Seested) was 3rd in Reasons and 7^th High Team Overall.

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, and a written test. There was also a team component where members worked together on evaluating a performance Angus genetics scenario, understanding livestock biosecurity, and understanding issues in livestock reproduction. Individually, Brody Nemecek was 5^th in the Practicum, 4^th in the Exam, and 3^rd Individual; Gavin Fry was 3^rd in the Practicum, 1^st in Exam, and 2^nd High Individual Overall; Clay Brillhart was 10^th Individual Overall, and Haydon Schaaf was 7^th Individual Overall.

This group worked hard and studied a great deal of material to prepare for four state contests. Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director coaches all of these teams. To be named the Champion and Reserve Champion Livestock Judging Teams, Reserve Champion Meats Judging Team, Reserve Livestock Skillathon Team, Champion Livestock Quiz Bowl Team, and Overall Champion Sweepstakes Team at the state contests shows how hard these 4-H members pushed each other to “Make the Best Better.”

The Southwind District is proud of their accomplishments and looks forward to future growth and learning.

 

Submitted by Carla Nemecek