This year the Iowa State Fair hosted 213 youth from 63 counties to participate in the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Skillathons for dairy, meat goat, sheep and swine. 

Each skillathon team was comprised of three individuals and included five stations where youth worked together to solve problems and identify dairy, meat goat, swine or sheep production components. Participants identified feed samples, breeds and meat cuts while also answering questions about genetics, nutrients, quality assurance, handling and biosecurity.

Amy Powell, animal science education specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, developed and coordinated the events.

“One of the main goals of the skillathon is to teach youth life skills like decision making, critical thinking and communication as well as animal husbandry and the science and math involved with raising an animal,” Powell said.

All participants received a t-shirt and the top five teams were recognized in each specie. Awards for the swine skillathon were sponsored by Iowa Pork Producers Association. The sheep and goat skillathons were sponsored by Premier 1 Supplies, and the Iowa 4-H Foundation Dairy Endowment sponsored the dairy skillathon.

“We offer special thanks to the 40 volunteers who served as station facilitators,” Powell said.

Skillathon winners

Dairy

1. Sophia Palmer, Keagan Palmer and Emma Palmer (Allamakee County).
2. Cooper Barber, Kallie Barber and Charlie Rowe (Clinton County).
3. Rebecca Schumann (Clayton County).
4. Alexis Oakland, Sarah Dean and Kerigan Alexander (Fayette County).

Swine

1. Tucker Rohrig and Taylor Rohrig (Adair County) and Brady Allen (Plymouth County).
2. Caleigh Lewis and Allison Mehman (Benton County) and Sage Voegele (Lyon County).
3. Caleb Keegan, Carly Elliot and Natale Clark (Linn County).
4. Kinze Manson and Steiger Manson (Benton County) and Gracelyn Brown (Madison County).
5. Ashley Mose, Brooklyn Flenker and Molly Mose (Scott County)

Sheep

1. Luci Kucera, Hayden Lowry and Claire Kucera (Jasper County).
2. Andrew Dix, Libby Dix and Elly Holubar (Linn County).
3. Chase Sypersma, Jayce Furrow and Grace Flannigan (Woodbury County).
4. Keely Kehrli, Conner Rawlins and Callie Rawlins (Buchanan County).
5. Lily Kolbert and Lexi Kolbert (Mitchell County).

Meat Goat

1. Lilian Buie (Jefferson County) and Zane Smith and Alicia Cumberland (Van Buren County).
2. Grace Curtis (Greene County), Gabby Stewart (Webster County) and Wyatt Chittenden (Warren County).
3. Regan Decious and Karlie Pettyjohn (Marion County).
4. Jordan Jones, Rachel Ehlers and Fayeth Henningson (Scott County).
5. Ashley Mose and Hayden Burmeister (Scott County) and Audrey Bulechek (Johnson County).