Illinois team takes 4th in National 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl
The Illinois 4-H team claimed fourth place out of 17 teams in the National 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl contest held Nov. 2 in Louisville, Kentucky.
The team includes Briley Lenkaitis of Saline County, Emma Carlson of Boone County, Payton Erbsen of Carroll County, Lane Heinzmann of Clinton County. Carlson was sixth overall.
The contest challenges contestants' knowledge of dairy production, business management, dairy products, and dairy science. Illinois won four rounds, but then fell to the 4-H team from Vermont.
The Illinois 4-H Foundation and River Valley Dairy of Trement provide financial support for the national team. Diamond V of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, provides team jackets. Dave Fischer, University of Illinois 4-H dairy program coordinator, coaches the team with Becky Meier assisting.
The members also competed in the North American International Livestock Exposition youth judging contest, where Lenkaitis won the Ayrshire breed division. The team finished 15th out of 20 in that contest.
Illinois 4-H empowers and prepares Illinois youth for success. University of Illinois Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois, affecting the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs, groups and short-term programming.
4-H Hippology Team excels at nationals
The Illinois 4-H Hippology Team participated in two national contests in October and November. Hippology contestants are scored on a written exam, identification stations, a problem solving question, and judging.
2018 team members are Hannah Haney, Saline County, Gwen Klinkey, Kane County, Audrey DeRossett, Jackson County, and Katelyn Hamilton, Randolph County. Hannah is from Harrisburg, and is a member of The Trailblazers and Pleasant Valley Go Getters Saline County 4-H Clubs.
The first competition was at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio. Illinois placed fourth overall. We scored third on the written exam, third in team stations and fifth in team problem solving. Hannah Haney took eighth place individual on the written test out of 17 teams and 68 individuals.
At the Eastern Nationals 4-H Horse Roundup in Louisville, Kentucky, the girls ended up third overall out of 26 teams. They scored third place team stations, fourth place team problem, fourth place team written and ninth place team judging.
Hannah earned 10th place high scoring individual in stations.
The Eastern Nationals 4-H Horse Roundup is the single largest youth equine education event in North America. This year it hosted 312 contestants from 26 states who competed in Hippology, Horse Bowl, Horse Judging, and Public Speaking/Demonstrations.
While the team was practicing over the summer, Hannah also received a scholarship for being the top scoring individual in the Superior Young Producer contest for equines during the State 4-H Horse Show in Springfield.
Anyone interested in learning more about Horse Hippology as well as Horse Bowl competition should call the Saline County Extension Office at (618) 252-8391.