Social - July 2003

Local team competes in state competition

Published July 9, 2003

JEFF CARPENTER, Area Livestock Agent

Thirteen local 4-H members recently took part in the statewide competitions for livestock judging and skillathon in Raleigh on June 11 and 12 and came away with top honors.

Team members represented Catawba, Gaston and Lincoln Counties and competed against teams from all across North Carolina.

In livestock judging contestants must place or rank eight classes consisting of four animals using a visual appraisal of the animals and performance data that is supplied by contest officials.

Ten questions are asked about two classes of livestock, and participants need a good eye and memory to answer these correctly.

Contestants must then defend their placing with oral reasons on 2-4 of these classes. The total score of placings, questions and oral reasons makes up the total score.

The junior team of Tom Devine, Lisa Baxter, Laura Elmore and Morgan Watts were first in statewide competition among all species. The team was 4th high in the beef division, 1st in swine and 4th in oral reasons.

Individually, Junior Proctor, Tom Devine, Lisa Baxter and Morgan Watts were 3rd, 4th, 5th and 9th respectively in overall scores for the junior division in livestock judging.

A second junior team consisting of Jeremy Lee, Julia Elmore, Luke Devine and Zack Lowman was 14th in beef, 6th in swine, 7th in oral reasons and 12th overall in the junior division.

A senior team of Ben Devine, Hannah Reynolds, Chris Sides and Casey Snyder was 6th in beef, 6th in swine, 7th in oral reasons and 5th overall in livestock judging. Individually, Hannah Reynolds placed 8th in beef cattle, 13th in swine, 15th in oral reasons and 10th overall in statewide competition.

On Thursday these youth participated in skillathon, which is a livestock version of quiz bowl. Contestants rotate through a series of activities that include breed identification, feed identification, equipment identification, meat and hay judging and a written test on livestock production and management.

The junior team of Tom Devine, Lisa Baxter, Julia Elmore and Laura Elmore was 1st in statewide competition. The second junior team of Zack Lowman, Morgan Watts, Luke Devine and Jeremy Lee was 4th in overall score. Tom Devine and Julia Elmore were 1st and 2nd high scoring individuals in the entire contest. The senior team of Ben Devine, Hannah Reynolds, Chris Sides and Casey Snyder was 4th overall in statewide competition.

The teams practiced on many local farms during the winter and spring. On the way to the contest the teams practiced at Huffman Red Angus in Salisbury, Sharpe Farms in Bailey, Batten Club Lambs in Micro and the NC State Beef Educational Unit in Raleigh.

Livestock judging teams were coached by Jeff Carpenter and Skillathon teams were coached by Beth Elmore, Tammy Thomas and Susie Devine.

For information on joining a 4-H livestock club, livestock judging or skillathon in Catawba, Gaston or Lincoln Counties contact the local 4-H office.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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