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UNIVERSITY PARK. — Youth from across Pennsylvania’s 4-H program recently participated in the annual 4-H Animal Judging Day, held on Penn State’s University Park campus. The event hosted 154 youth aged 10-18 who showcased their skills in various animal judging events. These included dairy, horse, poultry and livestock, which featured swine, sheep and beef cattle.
“Youth in judging contests learn about animal conformation and breed standards,” Kirsten Dubbs, Penn State Extension 4-H animal science specialist, said. “They evaluate animals against one another and decide how to place those animals.”
Youth also justify their animal placings to contest officials. This involves evaluating, decision-making and delivering sets of oral reasons, which sharpens public speaking and critical thinking skills, Dubbs noted.
Junior participants are 10-13 years old, while senior competitors range from 14-18 years old.
Dubbs noted that the poultry judging contest was held separately from other contests this year to minimize the risks of avian flu.
Below are the results for each contest:
Dairy judging
• First place to the senior team of Evan Espenshade, Alexa Hoffman, Madelynn Hoffman and A. J. Wanner, of Lancaster County.
• First place to senior individual Ainsley Sellers, of Lebanon County.
• First place to the junior team of Brooke King, Grant Yoder and Landon Yoder, of Mifflin County. King also won the junior individual category.
Horse judging
• First place to the senior team of Rachel Bohr, Madeline Ingraham, Mikayla Metzger and Ciera Wolff, of Lebanon County.
• First place to senior individual Katelyn Clemens, of Northumberland County.
• First place to the junior team of Meg Ingraham, Sabine Kirby, Sophia Kretzing and Hailey Metzger, of Lebanon County. Kretzing also ranked first in the junior individual category.
• First place to the beginner team of Bailey Glass, Gavin Glass and Olivia Sewalk, of Bedford County. Sewalk won the beginner individual category as well.
Livestock judging
• First place to the senior team of Lauren Houck, Evangeline McGargle, Samson McGargle and Justin Whitsel, of Huntingdon County. Whitsel also ranked first as an individual.
• First place to the junior team of Emily Bollinger, Olivia Leed and Amber Musser, of Lancaster County.
• First place to junior individual Mesa Brown, of Lebanon County.
Poultry judging
• First place to the senior team of Emily Bechdel, Samantha Brown, Kurtis Houser and Adelaide Miller, of Centre and Clinton counties. Miller ranked first in the senior individual category as well.
“Our dedicated 4-H volunteers make learning about these contests and competing possible for the youth,” Dubbs said. “Volunteers spend a great deal of time mentoring, coaching, helping youth to learn the ropes and helping them to develop knowledge and skills.”
Many of these contests offer senior participants the chance to qualify for various national competitions.
Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a non-formal educational youth-development program of the United States Department of Agriculture that helps young people develop knowledge and skills to become capable, caring and contributing citizens. To find your local program, visit the Pennsylvania 4-H website at https://extension.psu.edu/programs/4-h/counties.
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