News : Benton County Livestock Judging Team wins 1st place; advances to national event

State Livestock Judging champs: John McQuilken, Nick McQuilken, Mitchell Hanson and Drew Wiley.

4-H teams from Benton, Muscatine, Scott and Washington counties will represent Iowa in upcoming national 4-H livestock and meats judging contests. The teams earned the right to represent Iowa 4-H after receiving top honors in the 2015 4-H/FFA State Livestock and Meats Judging Contests.

This year saw an increase in participation for both the livestock and meats portion of the Iowa contests, held Aug. 29 at the Iowa State University campus in Ames, said Mike Anderson, 4-H youth program specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.

“The objectives of the Iowa 4-H Judging Contests are for the 4-H’ers to 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,” Anderson said.

In the senior 4-H division, Benton County took first place in the livestock judging portion among 13 teams and will head to the national contest in Louisville, Ky. The team scored 1,786 points out of the possible 1,950. Team members John McQuilken, Nick McQuilken, Mitchell Hanson and Drew Wiley were coached by Robert Hanson.

Muscatine County captured second place, scoring 1,767 points and third place went to Scott County with 1,704 points.

Muscatine County’s second place team will represent Iowa in the livestock judging contest at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. Team members Tiffany Tomlin, Cori Bates, Sam Burmeister and Alyssa Scholz were coached by Sam Paul.

The Scott County team will represent Iowa at the American Royal in Kansas City, Mo. Team members Gavin Meyer, Ashley Koberg and Brandon Venhorst were coached by Kaylee Keppy.

Hanson, Wiley, earn top individual scores

Individually in the senior division, Mitchell Hanson of Benton County finished first with 608 points. Coming in second was Drew Wiley of Benton County with 603 points. Sam Burmeister of Muscatine County finished third with 594 points.

In the junior 4-H division, Sac County topped the 13 teams that competed, scoring 1,437 out of a possible 1,800 points. Team members Justin Rupnow, Levi Steinkamp and Cale Niehaus were coached by Larissa Rupnow.

Finishing second was the team from Worth County with 1,424 points. Team members Austin Foss, Maeghan Petzrik, Peyton Pangburn and Reece Nelson were coached by Dennis Johnson.

The Polk County team finished third with 1,385 points. Team members Sydney Anderson, Alex Faidley, Emma Hay and Lydia Johnson were coached by Daniel Faidley.

Individually for the junior division, Justin Rupnow from Sac County finished first with 512 points. Coming in second was Lydia Johnson from Polk County with 488 points and Maeghan Petzrik from Worth County was third with 480 points.

Overall, 106 youth competed in both the junior and senior divisions of the livestock judging contest.

This year five teams competed in the 4-H meats judging contest.

In the senior division, the team from Washington County took top honors with a team total score of 1,793 points. Team members Logan Sieren, Erin Chalupa, Morgan Brinning and Makenzi Marek were coached by Irv Meier and will compete at the Western National Roundup contest in Denver in January 2016.

Taking second place were members from a combined team from O’Brien and Muscatine counties scoring 1,753 points. Members Garrett Wagner, Emily Mars, Nolan Osland and Jorden Montandon were coached by Eric Kumm and Sam Paul.

Placing third were members Josie Branderhorst, Bailey Broderson, Emily Miller and Dayton Boell all of Jasper County. The team scored 1,655 points and was coached by Bre Branderhorst.

The Iowa 4-H Foundation Animal Science Endowment sponsors awards for the contests. More results from the contest can be found at www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/page/livestock-judging.