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The Mountrail County 4-H team took first place in the senior division of the North Dakota state 4-H livestock judging contest, which was held in North Dakota State University’s Shepperd Arena.

Foster County’s 4-H team placed first in the contest’s junior division.

During the competition, 20 junior, one open and 17 senior teams judged cattle, swine, goats and sheep.

The members of the first-place Mountrail County 4-H team were Calli Hennessy, Mariah Braasch, Fletcher Hennessy, Morgan Vachal, Logan Lapica, Ty Fladeland, Kyra Fox, Kash Lee and Jacob Littlefield.

The first-place junior team from Foster County 4-H consisted of Molly Hansen, Isabel Wendel, Kadence Spickler, Jessa Spickler, Cally Hansen, Watson Spickler, Cyrena Kuss, Hayleigh Spickler and Trace Spickler.

The other top teams in the senior division were:

• Second – Adams County 4-H, with team members Olivia Nitschke, Mitch Stuber, Tom Buckmier, Alyssa Dix, Mace Stuber, Kaden Schauer, Tate Nash, Tatum Fitch, Kestrel Damjanovich and Oscar Laufer
• Third – Stutsman County 4-H, with team members Kelsey Vandeberghe, Alexis Vandeberghe, Abby Helm, Billy Vanepps, Evyn Dick, Dylan Cleghorn, Tamika Holte, Alexa Carlson and Chloe Carlson
• Fourth – Foster County 4-H, with team members Kennedy Wendel, Madeliene Nichols, Jozey Retzlaff, Trisa Lesmann and Auna Kubal
• Fifth – Oliver County 4-H, with team members Jacob Klaudt, Rebecca Schmidt, Reanna Schmidt and Wilton Henke

The remaining top teams in the junior division were:

• Second – McHenry County 4-H, with team members Madalyn Ivedalen, Avery Johnson, Melissa Kuhnhenn, Sydney Schock, Bergan Jaeger, Kinley Follman, Addysen Jaeger and Addison Johnson
• Third – Adams County 4-H, with team members Blake Larson, Grady Bock, Sophia Kennedy, Mika Stuber, Riley Hasbrouck and Jackson Haiien
• Fourth – Stark-Billings County 4-H, with team members Abby Talkington, Emma Bock, Ian Dohrmann, Coy Melchior, Trevor Lefor, Hadley Talkington, Kylee Sickler, Sawyer Wolf and Layne Melchior
• Fifth – Grant County 4-H, with team members Kaitlyn Hauge, Taylor Zenker, Layton Redmann, Paige Zenker, Landan Zenker, Addison Dahners, Kamryn Zenker and Christia Stewart

The top five individuals in the senior division classes were:

Overall

• First – Calli Hennessy, Mountrail County 4-H
• Second – Jamie Geyer, Ransom County 4-H
• Third – Olivia Nitschke, Adams County 4-H
• Fourth – Rhea Laib, Sheridan County 4-H
• Fifth – Mariah Braasch, Mountrail County 4-H

Reasons

• First – Chance Manhart, Golden Valley County 4-H
• Second – Calli Hennessy, Mountrail County 4-H
• Third – Jacob Klaudt, Oliver County 4-H
• Fourth – Fletcher Hennessy, Mountrail County 4-H
• Fifth – Mariah Braasch, Mountrail County 4-H

Sheep

• First – Rhea Laib, Sheridan County 4-H
• Second – Fletcher Hennessy, Mountrail County 4-H
• Third – Olivia Nitschke, Adams County 4-H
• Fourth – Paige Zimprich, Ransom County 4-H
• Fifth – Mariah Braasch, Mountrail County 4-H

Swine

• First – Calli Hennessy, Mountrail County 4-H
• Second – Medora Ellingson, Morton County 4-H
• Third – Olivia Nitschke, Adams County 4-H
• Fourth – Kennedy Wendel, Foster County 4-H
• Fifth – Jamie Geyer, Ransom County 4-H

Beef

• First – Calli Hennessy, Mountrail County 4-H
• Second – Chance Manhart, Golden Valley County 4-H
• Third – Mariah Braasch, Mountrail County 4-H
• Fourth – Kelsey Vandeberghe, Stutsman County 4-H
• Fifth – Calli Mack, Kidder County 4-H

The top five individuals in the junior division classes were:

Overall

• First – Molly Hansen, Foster County 4-H
• Second – Abby Talkington, Stark-Billings County 4-H
• Third – Grace Ones, Renville County 4-H
• Fourth – Madalyn Livedalen, McHenry County 4-H
• Fifth – Avery Johnson, McHenry County 4-H

Reasons

• First – Molly Hansen, Foster County 4-H
• Second – Blake Larson, Adams County 4-H
• Third – Taylor Zenker, Grant County 4-H
• Fourth – Abby Talkington, Stark-Billings County 4-H
• Fifth – Grady Bock, Adams County 4-H

Sheep

• First – Remi Laib, Sheridan County 4-H
• Second – Grace Ones, Renville, County 4-H
• Third – Molly Hansen, Foster County 4-H
• Fourth – Marisa Hoffarth, Barnes County 4-H
• Fifth – Addison Dahners, Grant County 4-H

Swine

• First – Molly Hansen, Foster County 4-H
• Second – Madalyn Livedalen, McHenry County
• Third – Blake Larson, Adams County 4-H
• Fourth – Isabel Wendel, Foster County 4-H
• Fifth – Trevor Andrews, Bowman County 4-H

Beef

• First – Isabel Wendel, Foster County 4-H
• Second – Taylor Zenker, Grant County 4-
• Third – Jessa Spickler, Foster County 4-H
• Fourth – Grady Bock, Adams County 4-H
• Fifth – Blake Larson, Adams County 4-H

“The North Dakota state 4-H livestock judging contest could not have been successful without the support of many,” says Leigh Ann Skurupey, 4-H animal science youth development specialist in NDSU Extension’s Center for 4-H Youth Development. “The NDSU Saddle and Sirloin Club members stepped in to take leadership of many roles necessary to keep the wheels of a large contest like this moving forward efficiently and effectively.

“The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, North Dakota 4-H Foundation, Independent Beef Association of North Dakota, Farm Bureau, Strothman Family and Holiday Inn took the initiative to financially support our contest participants in various ways,” she adds. “Without their support, it would be difficult to host such a great contest.

“A special thank you goes to Four Hill Farms for providing the wonderful Angus bulls, to Trevor Bjerke for letting us utilize his Boer goats and to the Nord Angus Farms for the beautiful class of Angus heifers provided,” Skurupey says.

Staff from the NDSU Beef Unit, Swine Unit, Sheep Unit and NDSU Beef Cattle Research Complex helped fit and provide animals for the other classes.