News : Benton County Livestock Judging team wraps up successful season

Nick McQuilkin, Mitchell Hanson, Drew Wiley, & John McQuilkin with their Livestock Judging awards.

F: Josh W, Gabe H, Alex L, Brady O, and Will Schmidt. B: Jacob L, Brock O, Landon S, and Isaac W.

The 2014 Benton County Livestock Judging 4-H Club had a fun-filled and exciting year. Membership and participation in workouts and contests nearly doubled over 2013. The group had individual success and team success in almost every outing.

Team members during the 2014 season were Gabriel Hanson, Mitchell Hanson, Alex Ludeking, Jacob Ludeking, John McQuilkin, Nick McQuilkin, Brady Ortner, Brant Ortner, Brock Ortner, Will Schmidt, Landon Siek, Drew Wiley, Isaac Wiley and Josh Wiley. These young men practiced and participated in number of livestock judging contests beginning in January and continuing through August 2014.

In January the team attended the Iowa Pork Congress in Des Moines.

The Senior Team of Mitchell Hanson, John McQuilkin, Nick McQuilkin and Drew Wiley were 3rd overall.

1st Place Sr. Drew Wiley

The Junior Team of Gabe Hanson, Brady Ortner, Will Schmidt, and Isaac Wiley were 10th Overall & Champion Junior Team.

1st Place Jr Isaac Wiley

2nd Place Jr Brock Ortner

4th Place Jr Gabe Hanson

5th Place Jr Will Schmidt

8th Place Jr Alex Ludeking

In February the team participated in the Iowa Beef Expo Cattle Judging Contest in Des Moines. The team was sponsored by the Benton County Cattlemans Association.

The Senior Team of Mitchell Hanson, John McQuilkin, Nick McQuilkin and Drew Wiley were 7th overall out of 45 teams from throughout the midwest. This was the highest placing ever in this contest for this group.

This past summer the teams judged in contests in Mason City, West Liberty, Eldora, Hampton and Independence in addition to the Iowa State Fair and the State 4-H contest in Ames.

At the North Iowa Fair in Mason City we were 2nd place senior team and champion Junior Team. All of our judges were in the top 10 in their division.

2nd place Sr Mitchell Hanson 1st Place Jr Brady Ortner

7th place Sr John McQuilkin 2nd Place Jr Josh Wiley

8th place Sr Drew Wiley 3rd Place Jr Isaac Wiley

9th place Sr Nick McQuilkin 4th Place Jr Brock Ortner

5th Place Jr Gabe Hanson

At the Muscatine County Fair in West Liberty the Senior Team of Brock Ortner, John McQuilkin Drew Wiley and Isaac Wiley placed 3rd and the Junior Team of Alex Ludeking, Jacob Ludeking, Brady Ortner and Josh Wiley placed 6th in the Sr Division.

At the Hardin County Fair in Eldora the Senior Team of Mitchell Hanson, John McQuilkin, Nick McQuilkin and Drew Wiley was team Champion.

2nd Place individual Mitchell Hanson

5th Place Individual John McQuilkin

At the Franklin County Fair in Hampton The Senior Team of Mitchell Hanson, John McQuilkin, Nick McQuilkin and Drew Wiley was Reserve Champion.

2nd Place individual Mitchell Hanson

5th Place Individual Drew Wiley

At the Buchanan County Fair in Independence the Junior Team of Alex Ludeking, Brady Ortner, Brock Ortner, and Isaac Wiley was team Champion.

Overall

1st Place Jr Brock Ortner

2nd Place Jr Isaac Wiley

3rd Place Jr Brady Ortner

Beef Sheep

1st Place Jr Alex Ludeking 1st Place Jr Brock Ortner

Swine Goats

2nd Place Jr Brock Ortner 1st Place Jr Isaac Wiley

3rd Place Jr Brant Ortner 2nd Place Jr Brady Ortner

3rd Place Jr Will Schmidt

At the Iowa State Fair Contest in Des Moines the Junior team of Brady Ortner, Brock Ortner, Will Schmidt & Isaac Wiley was Reserve Champion.

6th Place Individual Isaac Wiley

9th Place Individual Brock Ortner

All of these contests led up to a VERY successful run at the Iowa 4-H State Contest in Ames.

Benton County Livestock Judging Teams were the 2nd Place Junior Team & 3rd Place Senior Team in the state of Iowa.

The 2nd Place Jr. Team was Jacob Ludeking, Brady Ortner, Brock Ortner & Isaac Wiley.

2nd Overall Isaac Wiley

6th Overall Brock Ortner

And 11th just missing the top 10 in Iowa was Gabe Hanson

Josh Wiley was 7th in Sheep.

The 3rd Place Sr Team and the team representing Iowa at the National Western Stock Show in Denver Colorado includes Mitchell Hanson, John McQuilkin, Nick McQuilkin and Drew Wiley.

5th Overall Drew Wiley

And 11th just missing the top 10 in Iowa was Mitchell Hanson

Nick McQuilkin was 10th in Iowa in placings.

Drew Wiley was 4th in Oral reasons

Mitchell Hanson was 5th in Oral Reasons

John McQuilkin was 10th in Beef.

Drew Wiley was 4th in Swine and 6th in Sheep.

Thank you to our coaches and supporters – Pete Burmeister, Todd Wiley, Wayne McQuilkin, Rich Red Angus, Al & Kandi Schminke and the Benton County Cattlemen.

The Benton County Youth Livestock judging program is affiliated with ISU Extension Benton County and Benton County 4-H. All young people from 4th – 12th grade are welcome to participate. We will be starting up again for the 2015 campaign sometime in December or January. For more information contact Robert Hanson at robert.hanson@plantpioneer.com.