RANGELY I A six-week crash course in livestock skills and judging was put on by Special Events for all 4-H members in the Rangely area.
The kids who attended learned many things about feeds, health, breeds, anatomy, evaluation, equipment and meats. The course has been run for numerous years to assist new 4-H members in learning a lot of things in a short time about 4-H livestock projects.
The 4-Hers were able to test their newfound knowledge in a competitive arena in Arizona during Christmas break, and thanks to Bill Ekstrom (CSU Extension), Torie Slagle (assistant coach), Kaylee Mecham (junior coach) and Bonnie Long (coach), the kids did wonderful at the Arizona National Livestock Show in Phoenix on Dec. 29 and 30.
Kids attending nationals were: Alexis, Alanna and Wyatt Wiley, AJ and Del Garner, Cia Buxton, Kaylee and Layne Mecham, Corbin Lucero and Raelynn Norman. Chaperones were Cindy Garner, Torie Slagle, Bill Ekstrom, Chloe Norman and Bonnie Long.
The first event the group checked on was the Livestock Poster Contest. Cia Buxton was third place high individual in swine and Cash Leischer, 6, was second place high individual in swine.
In the junior livestock judging, the group was excited when they had Corbin Lucero in eighth place and AJ Garner in fourth place make the top 10. It got even better when team results were announced. AJ Garner, Cia Buxton and Raelynn Norman were third-place high team overall.
In the skill-a-thon competition, two groups of kids made it into the top five for awards: Team 2—Del Garner, Cia Buxton and Corbin Lucero were fifth place high team and the team of AJ Garner, Wyatt Wiley and Raelynn Norman were reserve champions. Del Garner was reserve champion as an individual.
All the kids participated in the Barnyard Olympics competition, having a lot of fun and getting wet. The group attended the Out of the Arena event on Dec. 29, then, on Dec. 30, the group went to Coasters’N’Castles amusement park.
