Released: January 29, 2004

Kansas 4-H Team Earns Top Honors

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Practice makes perfect, right?

It would seem so for the Montgomery County 4-H Meats Judging team. The team earned first place in the 4-H Meats Judging Contest at the National Western Livestock Show in Denver Jan. 10, 2004.

“Montgomery County teams have competed at the Western six times since 1994. This is the first time they’ve claimed the top honors,” said Dick Van Winkle, team coach.

To get the opportunity to compete at this year’s Western, the Montgomery County team earned second place in the state contest held Aug. 16, 2003, in Wichita.

Team members include Shanna Ward, a high school sophomore and member of the Rambling Rangers 4-H Club; Torie Reilly, sophomore and member of the Happy Hustler’s 4-H Club; and Kaila Garton, junior and member of the Caney Pioneers 4-H Club. They invited Cathy Lundgren, a member of the first place team at the state contest, to join them for the national meet. Lundgren, a college freshman, is a member of Johnson County’s Patriots’ 4-H Club.

While a bit unusual as a combination, the team members complemented each other, Van Winkle said.

In addition to their first-place team finish, the Montgomery 4-H representatives earned the first place award in placing livestock, third place in identification and fourth place in reasons. Ward earned second place as the high-scoring individual and third place in individual identification. Lundgren earned third place as high-scoring individual and second place in identification.

The team was awarded a plaque and individual ribbons. Coach VanWinkle was presented with an engraved cowbell.

In acknowledging his team’s accomplishments, Van Winkle reported: “The team’s pretty excited. The drive home didn’t seem to take any time at all.”

Information on educational 4-H programs open to students ages 7 and up is available at county K-State Research and Extension offices or on Extension’s website (www.oznet.ksu.edu).

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Nancy Peterson, Communications Specialist
nancyp@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News