2015 Livestock Judging - It's Official!

On April 18th, 2015, thirty-four 4-H and FFA members from Missoula, Sweet Grass, Powell and Granite Counties met at the MCPS Ag Education Center for the annual Missoula Invitational 4-H/FFA Livestock Judging Contest.

This year's Official Judges were Jon Andres and Ryan Handley, both currently members of Missoula 4-H and Missoula FFA.  Jon and Ryan have competed in a number of Livestock Judging competitions in both FFA and 4-H, and both represented Montana 4-H at the Western National Roundup in Denver, CO, in 2014.  They helped organize the contest, selected the classes, hand picked the animals, did the official placings on each class, and with the help of Sweet Grass County Extension agent Marc King, learned about determining "cuts," (the number of penalty points taken from a perfect score of 50 for mixing up the placing of animals in each class).

Ryan Handley giving the official reasons for this class of Sows with Records.

Eleven Missoula 4-H members from four different club competed for Individual Rosettes (places 1-6), Team Ribbons (places 1-3), an embroidered duffle bag (Top Novice Judge) and Montana Silversmiths buckles (Top Junior and Top Senior Judges).

Awards were sponsored by 

• Junior 4-H Buckle - Bear Creek Buckaroos 4-H Club
• Senior 4-H Buckle - Warehime Angus, Potomac, MT
• FFA Buckle - R&L Lite Excavation, Lolo, MT
• Embroidered Duffle - Glacier Ice Rink, Missoula, MT
• Ribbons/Rosettes - D.G. Miller, Inc., Florence, MT and Missoula Concrete Construction, Missoula, MT

Jon Andres giving the official reasons for this class of Heifers.

All participants judged eight classes of animals, and took a Veterinary Tool ID quiz.  Seniors and FFA members gave reasons on three classes of animals, Juniors gave reasons on two classes, and Novices gave an optional set of reasons on one class.  The top four Senior 4-H members from Missoula are eligible to represent Missoula County at the State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest in July during Montana 4-H Congress.  The Missoula 4-H members who palced in the top six individually, and top three teams, are listed below.

Senior Teams

First Place (all from the Mullan Trail Mustangs 4-H Club)

• Kyle Glenn
• Michaela Zimmerman
• Zac Zimmerman
• Bryce Wildeboer

Senior Individuals

• First Place - Kyle Glenn
• Second Place - Michaela Zimmerman
• Fourth Place - Zac Zimmerman
• Fifth Place - Bryce Wildeboer

Junior Teams

Third Place (combined team of Missoula and Powell County members)

• Tori Foster - Blue Mountaion 4-H Club
• Danielle Sexton - Seeley Lake 4-H Club

Novice Teams

First Place (combined team of Missoula, Granite and Sweet Grass County members)

• Abby Riska - Blue Mountain 4-H Club

Second Place

• Kallie Rummel - Zootown 4-H Club
• Adam Wildeboer - Mullan Trail Mustangs
• Juston West - Mullan Trail Mustangs
• Colter McWilliams - Mullan Trail Mustangs

Novice Individuals

• Second Place - Colter McWilliams
• Third Place - Abby Riska
• Fifth Place - Adam Wildeboer
• Sixth Place - Juston West

Thanks to everyone who traveled to Missoula for this contest, thanks to Cindy Arnott and Susan Standley for organizing lunch, thanks to Missoula FFA for hosting the event, thanks to Cindy (again) for organizing and running the score room, thanks to Jon and Ryan - best Officials ever, thanks to Marc King for keeping our officials in line, and thanks to our awards sponsors for helping to ensure that the 4-H Livestock Committee is able to hold this event every year!

Max Andres giving a set of reasons to his brother Jon, one of the Official judges.

You're a good sport, Max!