Greene County youth showcased their livestock knowledge, communication skills, and teamwork during the Livestock Triathlon held the first weekend in May. Participants competed in three challenging areas including Skillathon, Quiz Bowl, and Livestock Judging.
The Greene County livestock judging team is coached by CJ Muir and Samantha Hardaway. Team members practice year-round to prepare for competitions and have had the opportunity to work with several breeders and livestock operations for hands-on learning experiences, including Blueprint Cattle, Berry Farms, Tucker Farms, and Bills Show Pigs.
Through livestock judging and educational contests, youth develop valuable life skills including decision making, public speaking, teamwork, critical thinking, and confidence. These experiences also help youth strengthen their livestock industry knowledge while learning how to evaluate animals and communicate their reasoning effectively.
In the Skillathon competition, Greene County teams earned several top finishes, including:
3rd Place Junior Skillathon team Stations; 3rd Place Junior Skillathon team; and 3rd Place Senior Skillathon team.
During Quiz Bowl competition, Paisley Lautner earned a 4th overall finish.
Greene County youth also found success in the Livestock Judging contest.
In the Junior Division, the Junior Questions team placed 2nd overall
Individual Questions placings included Stella Lautner, 4th; Harper Lawton, 6th; and Jentry Hedges – 8th.
Overall individual placings included Stella Lautner, 8th; Harper Lawton, 9th; and Jentry Hedges, 11th.
The Junior tTeam (Stella Lautner, Avril Shahan, Becca Shahan, Jentry Hedges) earned a 3rd overall team finish.
In the Senior Division Breanna Ades placed 18th overall individually. The Senior team (Breanna Pope, Paisley Lautner, Cash Williams, Chloe Julick) placed 8th overall. Greene County Extension and 4-H congratulated all youth who participated and represented Greene County with knowledge, teamwork, and determination. “Their commitment to practicing and learning throughout the year continues to pay off, and we look forward to seeing their future accomplishments throughout the livestock judging season,” Greene County youth and 4-H coordinator Samantha Hardaway said.
