Approximately 300 Kansas 4-H members from 66 counties participated in the 2023 Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes, hosted by Kansas State University’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry Aug. 19-20.

Throughout the weekend, 4-H members participated in the state livestock judging contest, meat judging contest, livestock Skillathon and livestock quiz bowl.

Individual 4-H members who participated in all three activities (livestock judging, meat judging, and Skillathon) were entered in the Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes. Lyle Perrier from Greenwood County was named the 2023 Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes high individual.

Also placing in the top 10 were:

Greenwood County won the Livestock Sweepstakes Champion team award with the best combined team performance in livestock judging, livestock Skillathon, livestock quiz bowl and meat judging. Teams in the top five included Southwind District No. 1, which placed second; Sedgwick County, third; Wildcat District No. 1, fourth; and Frontier District No. 1, fifth.

Individual and team placings are posted on the Kansas State Youth Livestock Program website, bit.ly/sweepstakesresults, and the Judging Card website, judgingcard.com.

The team champions for the livestock Skillathon and livestock quiz bowl will represent Kansas at their respective national 4-H contests, which occur later this fall.

Kansas will be represented by an all-star team at the national 4-H livestock judging contest in Louisville, Ky. Based on their performance in the state livestock judging contest, 15 Kansas 4-H members were selected to advance to the team selection process, which includes a series of livestock evaluation workshops and other opportunities provided by the Kansas State University livestock judging team.

This is the third year Kansas will be represented by an all-star team at the national 4-H meat judging contest during the American Royal in Kansas City, Mo. The top 13 entrants will participate in several educational opportunities and meat evaluation workshops with the K-State meat judging team throughout the fall as part of the all-star team selection process.

Source: Kansas State Research and Extension News Service