Southwind District Team Wins Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes

Members of the Southwind District team stand with the awards they won during the recent 4-H Sweepstakes. (Photo courtesy of K-State Department of Animal Sciences and Industry)

Approximately 350 Kansas 4-H members from 66 counties participated in the 2021 Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes Aug. 21-22, hosted by the Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry.

Organizers said 4-H members participated in the state livestock judging contest, meat judging contest, livestock skillathon and livestock quiz bowl. Those who participated in all three activities (livestock and meat judging, and skillathon) were entered in the Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes.

Sadie Marchiano from the Southwind District was named the 2021 Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes High Individual.

Also placing in the Top 10 were 2. Calley Stubbs, Sunflower District; 3. Jack Habjan, Leavenworth County; 4. James DeRouchey, Pottawatomie County; 5. Preston Dunn, 21 Central District; 6. Lyle Perrier, Greenwood County; 7. Hailey Gillespie, Frontier District; 8. Cecillia Newby, Wildcat District; 9. August Hulse, Central Kansas District; and 10.Gwen Fry, Southwind District.

The Southwind District’s No. 4 team won the Livestock Sweepstakes Champion Team Award with the best combined performance in livestock judging, livestock skillathon, livestock quiz bowl and meat judging. Teams in the top five, in order of finish, included Wildcat District No. 1; Central Kansas District; Frontier District No. 1; and Pottawatomie County.

Individual and team placings are posted to the Kansas State Youth Livestock Program website, https:// bit.ly/3lhPdjK and the Judging Card website, http://www.judgingcard.com.

The team champions for the livestock skillathon and livestock quiz bowl will represent Kansas at their respective national 4-H contest, all of which will occur this fall.

Again this year, Kansas will be represented by an all-star team at the national 4-H livestock judging contest in Louisville. Based on their performance in the state livestock judging contest, 12 young people were selected to advance to the team selection process. The selection process includes a series of livestock evaluation workshops and opportunities provided by the K-State Livestock Judging Team.

This will be the inaugural year for Kansas to be represented by an all-star team at the national 4-H meat judging contest during the American Royal. The top eight kids will participate in several educational opportunities and meat evaluation workshops with the K-State Meat Judging Team.

The Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes program is also sponsored by Kansas Pork Association, Kansas Beef Council, Kansas State University College of Agriculture, Konza Veterinary Clinic and Farm Talk.

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