By Scout Nelson
At the North Dakota State Fair in Minot, state leaders participated in a unique event showcasing the talents of 4H youth. In the North Dakota Leaders 4H Showmanship Contest, public leaders teamed up with 24 4H members who had won champion or reserve champion titles in livestock showmanship. These youth served as mentors and later judges for their adult partners.
Each leader learned the basics of showing one of six livestock species: beef, dairy, dairy goats, meat goats, sheep, or swine. Under the guidance of their 4H partner, they demonstrated their new skills in the show ring.
The event allowed 4H youth to share their agricultural knowledge, build leadership skills, and connect with public figures. “It’s a good opportunity to share knowledge and learn how to teach others,” said Morton County 4-H’er Baily Kunz.
“Hopefully, they learned a lot from the experience,” said Caleb Schwab, a 4-H member from Ransom County. “There’s more to learn about 4-H than what I could teach them in the time we had together.”
The event winners were:
- Beef: Stephanie Schoenrock, Minot CVB Executive Director
- Dairy: Rep. Dennis Johnson, District 15
- Dairy Goats: Sen. Rich Wardner, District 37
- Meat Goats: State Fair Director Mark Schaunaman
- Sheep: Mark Birdsall, State Ag Research and Education Board Chair
- Swine: Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring
“It went over big,” said Kurt Froelich, the Extension agent for Stark and Billings counties who initiated the event. “It just turned out beyond my dreams.”
The event was sponsored by NDSU Extension, the North Dakota 4H Foundation, and the North Dakota State Fair, emphasizing agricultural education and community involvement.
Photo Credit: north-dakota-state-university
Categories: North Dakota, Business