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Rock County 4-H’ers joined representatives from the state’s 87 counties to exhibit 2,843 animals during this year’s Minnesota State Fair livestock encampment Aug. 23-27.
Five local 4-H’ers received champion or reserve champion honors during the event. They are Justin Mente, champion cow/calf pair and champion prospect market calf intermediate showperson; Ryleigh Beers, reserve champion shorthorn plus heifer; Trevor Mente, reserve champion Maine-Anjou heifer; Jacob Raak, reserve champion Ayrshire cow; and Trey Baustian, reserve champion lightweight market lamb and fourth place showperson.
Purple ribbons were awarded to Cassie Flanagan, middleweight market meat goat; Christian Kruse, lightweight black-face market lamb; Riley Baker, middleweight black-face market lamb; and Hallie Hough, crossbred market swine;
Recipients of blue ribbons were Tommy Norman, registered junior yearling breeding heifer; Michael Kinsinger, commercial junior yearling breeding heifer; Tyler Reisdorfer, Red Angus junior yearling breeding heifer; Leah Kruse, Hereford junior yearling breeding heifer; Dylan Mente, prospect calf and fourth-place senior prospect calf showperson; Andrew Raak, red-and-white winter or fall calf and dairy showcase finalist; Drew Fick, prospect beef steer; Payton Fick, prospect beef steer; Tory Knobloch, slick-shown market steer; Sean Elbers crossbred market beef; Joshua Raak, spring yearling Holstein; Brooke Feit, large breed senior buck and advanced rabbit project interview finalist; Hunter Baker, middleweight black-face market lamb; Adayla Rouzer, speckle-face market lamb; Mira Uithoven, speckle-face market lamb; Trista Baustian, crossbred February gilt; Tyler Fick, Duroc market barrow; and Aleck Schoeneman, crossbred market barrow.
Earning red ribbons were Karly Kruse, Hereford spring calf breeding heifer; Hannah Kruse, Hereford market steer and individual livestock demonstration; Whitney Elbers, slick-shown market steer; Caleb Raak, Guernsey winter or fall calf; Breanna Richters, senior yearling breeding doe; Moriah Flanagan, senior meat breeding doe kid and meat goat project finalist; Gracie Sandbulte, Mini Rex senior buck; Payton Bork, New Zealand junior buck; Tacey Baustian, lightweight black-face market lamb; William Stegenga, market gilt and fourth-place senior showman; and Tanner Baustian, market gilt.
Beers receives livestock association scholarship
Each year the Minnesota Livestock Breeders’ Association Scholarship is awarded to 4-H and FFA youth who are active members and exhibitors during the year of application.
Rock County 4-H’er Ryleigh Beers received a $1,000 scholarship based on her leadership experience and personal growth achievement along with academic excellence and outstanding livestock production.
In 2017, 31 scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 were awarded.