Wyoming teams shine at national 4-H contests
On Nov. 17-20, qualifying state 4-H teams competed in two national 4-H livestock contests, held at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Ky.
The National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest is the oldest of the three national 4-H contests, with roots tracing back to the Chicago International Livestock Exposition in the early 1900s.
The National 4-H Livestock Skillathon Contest started in the late 1990s and has been held at the NAILE from the beginning, comprised of everything in the livestock industry from breeding to retail meat cuts and everything in between.
Throughout the year, students practice for the livestock judging and skillathon contests with their respective 4-H clubs.
This year, Wyoming’s Skillathon Team and 4-H Livestock Judging Team placed in the top five at the national contest.
The 4-H Livestock Judging Team, hailing from Natrona County, won the 2024 Wyoming State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest during the Wyoming State Fair in August, giving them the honor of representing Wyoming at the National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest in Kentucky.
Natrona County 4-H team members include Madi Dickinson, Kaleb and Conner Booth, Emmy Hornecker and Carter Cox.
The team secured fourth place in the high team overall category and brought home a first-place win in the beef category, fourth place in the swine category and fifth in reasons.
Two local students, Garrett Burkett and Carter Cox, both of Casper, came home with All American honors as well.
Burkett secured seventh in the beef category and 15th overall, while Cox placed fifth in the beef category and secured seventh overall.
Hornecker placed sixth in the beef category and Conner landed in seventh in the swine category.
The Natrona County 4-H team is led by Coach Jeremy Burkett, who runs the Casper College farrow-to-feeder farm.
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
