• By April Bowman
• Posted Wednesday, November 8, 2017

4-H Livestock Judging and Skillathon Teams Win at NC State Fair

The Forsyth/Stokes 4-H Livestock Team competed in the NC State Fair competition in Raleigh, October 28-29, 2017. Youth competed in the livestock judging competition on Saturday where they evaluated and placed twelve classes made up of four animals in each class of sheep, beef cattle, meat goats, and sheep. The juniors (youth 13 and under) then gave two sets of “oral reasons” and the seniors (youth ages 14-18) gave four sets, defending their placings on specific classes. On Sunday, the youth returned to compete in the Skillathon competition, which included Livestock Quality Assurance, Livestock Equipment, Breed, Meat Identification and Meat Evaluation.

A huge congratulations to Kali Mabe for being the Top Overall Individual in Livestock Judging. Madison Sifford was tenth, Lynae Bowman thirteenth, Anna Hill, eighteenth, Jaden Sink nineteenth and Kayla Birkholz rounded out the top twenty. The team of Madison Sifford, Annal Hill, Lynae Bowman, and Kali Mabe finished third overall in the contest. The team of Sierra Sockwell, Kayla Birkholz and Jaden Sink finished fifth overall.

In the Junior Judging Contest the junior team of Michelle Hartman, Amber Shutsky, Erica Shutsky, and Lakota Sockwell placed eleventh overall.

In the Skillathon Contest on Sunday the Senior team comprised of Lynae Bowman, Hannah King, Kali Mabe and Madison Sifford missed out on a first place finish by four points! The team of Kayla Birkholz, Anna Hill and Jaden Sink finished fifth overall. Hannah King finished third in the contest after winning a tiebreaker with her team mate Lynae Bowman who finished fourth. Madison Sifford was eighth, Kali Mabe thirteenth, Kayla Birkholz seventeenth and Anna Hill rounded out the top twenty, just three points behind Kayla.

The junior team of Michelle Hartman, Erica and Amber Shutsky, and Lakota Sockwell finished fourth with Lakota placing tenth and Amber fifteenth.

The entire results can be downloaded at https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/2017-nc-state-fair-livestock-judging-skillathon-results/.

The trip was sponsored by Forsyth County Farm Bureau, and Alpha Graphics. We are extremely grateful for their support.

The NC State Fair Livestock Contests were sponsored by the NC Cattlemen's Association, the NC State Fair, Show-Rite Feeds and Animals R Us of Flat Rock.

For additional information about 4-H, and/or 4-H Livestock Competitions please contact the Forsyth County Cooperative Extension Center at 336-703-2855 or visit http://forsyth.cc/CES/4-H. We are currently seeking new team members ages 9-18. NOW is the time to join so contact us soon.