By Blake Jackson
Three Lebanon County 4-H members Clayton Heisey, Phoebe Stutzman, and Brody Youtz achieved remarkable success at the prestigious National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado.
The Pennsylvania team, competing against hundreds of participants from across the nation, secured seventh place overall in the livestock judging contest. They excelled in specific categories, earning second place in sheep and sixth place in goats.
Individually, Youtz placed eighth in cattle and ninth overall. Heisey earned fourth place in goats, while Stutzman secured eighth place in sheep.
"They learn to evaluate and rank classes of animals that are placed in front of them at judging contests," said Kirsten Dubbs, a Penn State Extension 4-H animal science specialist. "Senior competitors, such as these youth, also prepare and deliver sets of oral reasons to justify how they placed classes. They invest a great deal of time learning the subject matter, looking at animals in the flesh and on video, and practicing their evaluation skills."
While these skills are invaluable for future careers in the livestock industry, Dubbs highlighted their broader impact. “They learn public speaking and communication skills. It's hard to overstate the life skills impact of participating in judging at this level," said Dubbs.
Photo Credit: 4-h
Categories: Pennsylvania, Livestock