Wise County 4-H’ers Shine in Consumer Decision Making Project

Eleven 4-H’ers represented Wise County very well during the recent District 3 4-H Consumer Decision Making competition held last month in Vernon. Over 100 youth from across the 23 counties of the Rolling Plains District 3 participated in this contest to apply knowledge and skills gained in the Consumer Education Project and to compare personal decisions with the decisions of a panel of judges who are knowledgeable about today’s marketplace and its various goods and services.

Results follow:

Junior Division Team:  2^nd Place team:  Creed Vineyard, Hallie Washburn, and Kaitlyn Karrer. Hallie Washburn – 3^rd Place High Point Individual; Kaitlyn Karrer - 5^th Place High Point Individual and Creed Vineyard - 5^th Place High Individual in Oral Reasons.

Intermediate Division Team:  1^st Place team:  Easton Vanover, Luke Tribe, Slayton Pruett, and Aaron Chancellor.  Easton Vanover – 1^st Place High Point Individual and 1^st Place High Individual in Oral Reasons, and Luke Tribe - 5^th Place High Point Individual.

Senior Division Team:  1^st Place team: Lyndi Luttrull, Brady Vanover, Lauryn Luttrull, and Shelby Vanover.  Lyndi Luttrull - 1^st Place High Point Individual and 1^st Place High Individual in Oral Reasons, Brady Vanover - 3^rd Place High Point Individual and 5^th Place High Individual in Oral Reasons, and Lauryn Luttrull - 5^th Place High Individual in Oral Reasons.  Placing first as a team earns the senior division team the right to represent Wise County and District 3 at the State contest during Texas 4-H Roundup next week in College Station.

These 4-H’ers have been busy studying various topics such as active wear, computers, outdoor camping equipment, nutritious snacks, fast food meals, and digital cameras. This prepares them to assume the role of the consumer in a situation and then decide which choice is best based on the situation. Four items are ranked in order, according to how well they meet the needs of the consumer.

The Texas 4-H and Youth Development education program, a component of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, a part of the Texas A&M System, creates supportive environments for culturally diverse youth and adults to reach their fullest potential.

Wise County 4-H Takes District 3 4-H Livestock Judging Contest By Storm

Once again hard work and dedication pays off for Wise County 4-H’ers.   On Wednesday, November 4th, 24 counties and 179 4-H members converged to Vernon, Texas to compete at the District 3 Livestock Judging Contest only to be dominated by 19 4-H members from Wise County. 

Of the three age divisions, Wise County 4-H won first place in two age divisions and second place in the other.  Wise County had 3 members in the top ten individual in all three age divisions.

The Junior Team placed 1^st with team members of Mason McComis, Creed Vineyard and Brandt Rasco.  Mason was 4^th High Point Individual, Creed was 8^th High Point Individual, and Brandt was 9^th High Point Individual.  Creed Vineyard also placed 3^rd High Point Individual in Reasons. 

In the intermediate division, Wise County placed 1^st, 6^th and 11^th.  The first place team included, Kaylyn Shallene, Dustin Meadows, Clint Demmitt and Cassady Craddock.  The 6^th and 11^th place teams were made up of Blake Johnson, Brandon Fraser, Rebecca Lambert, Cale Laaser, Chloe Malone, Emily Fraser, Charlotte Hale and Kooper Martin. The top ten High Point Individuals included, Blake Johnson 3^rd High Point Individual, Clint Demmitt 5^th High Point Individual, Dustin Meadows 7^th High Point Individual, and Kaylyn Shallene 9^th High Point Individual.  Kaylyn Shallene was also 2^nd High Point Individual in Reasons.

The Senior Team placed 2^nd and has qualified to compete at State Roundup in June.  Thaine Laaser was 4^th High Point Individual, Sheridan Shallene was 5^th High Point Individual, Seth Byers was 9^th High Point Individual, Carson Read was 12^th High Point Individual and Michaela Martin.  Sheridan Shallene was 1^st High Point Individual in reasons, and Seth Byers was 3^rd High Point Individual in reasons.

Wise County should be very proud of our 4-H members and what they represent for our county.

1st Annual Wise County Hay Show Huge Success

The Wise County Hay Show was a huge success held last Thursday at the Wise County Fair Grounds.  Thirty two entries competed during the show in three different categories such as: Warm Season Perennial Grasses, Summer Annual Grasses and Winter Annual Grasses.

Gary Green exhibited the Grand Champion Hay this year which came out of the Warm Season Perennial Grass Category.  Also coming out of the Warm Season Perennial Grass Category was the Reserve Grand Champion Hay exhibited by Calm Leas Farm/Guy Pegues.

Other winners were; 1^st place in the Warm Season Annual Grasses exhibited by Melvin & Todd Meadows, and the 2^nd place was exhibited by Rick Wilson.  In the Cool Season Annual Grasses, 1st place went to Rick Wilson and the 2^nd place was exhibited by Mote & Sanford/Rodney Mote.

Exhibitors that competed in the show also donated a bale of Hay to the Wise County Livestock and Forage Committee to be auctioned off and all proceeds to be donated to the Wise County Youth Fair.  In its first year the auction raised $2045.00. 

A special thanks to the exhibitors and buyers of the fundraiser for the WCYF.  Hay exhibitors who donated bales to the auction were: Rick Wilson, Leslie Fortenberry, Carla Payne, Todd and Melvin Meadows, S & S Hay, Jared Montford, Charles Brown, Gary Green, James McMillian, Calm Leas Farm/Guy Pegues, Allan Bingham, Jim Stegall.   Buyers included:  Community Bank, Legend Bank, Kevin Downe, Rick Wilson, Carla Payne, Steve Roos, Waggoner-Sauder Ranch, and Jim Stegall.

4-H State Dog Show

Nine youth from Wise County competed in the State 4-H Dog Show in Belton on July 8-10^th. Tori Lobdell, Abigail Newbold, Ashley Polson, Brianna McKeever, Kara Munn, Summer Cobb, Saydee Herndon, Angela Blankenship, and Keaton Vawter worked with their dogs all year with the hopes to meet their goal of competing in the State Dog Show in mind.

            Tori and her dog received 2^nd in Tricks, 4^th in Rally Obedience, and 4^th in Conformation. They also participated in the Costume contest and the Agility class. Tori was also awarded overall High-Point Senior.

            Abigail and her dog received 3^rd in Rally, 6^th in Conformation, 4^th in Showmanship, 10^th in Costume, and 1^st in obedience.

            Ashley and her dog received 5^th in Rally, and 3^rd in Drill Team.

Brianna and her dog received 9^th in Rally, 5^th in Showmanship, 9^th in Obedience, and 3^rd in Drill Team. They also participated in Conformation.

            Kara and her dog received 4^th in Costume, 8^th in Rally, 2^nd in Conformation, 3^rd in Showmanship, and 3^rd in Drill Team.

            Summer and her dog received 1^st in Obedience, 2^nd in Rally, 2^nd in Conformation, 1^st in Showmanship, and 3^rd in Drill Team.

            Saydee and her dog received 5^th in Costume, 1^st in Obedience, 4^th in Rally, 5^th in Conformation, and 4^th in Showmanship.

Keaton and his dog, Sandy, received 1^st in Rally, 1^st in Conformation, 4^th in Showmanship. They also participated in obedience.

            A huge thank you to the project leaders, Janie Vawter and Laura Jeanne, and parent volunteers that help to make this project successful. Practices will start back up again this fall and all 4-H members are welcome to attend!           

Excellent job Wise County 4-Her’s!

District Record Book Results

            In our hurry to get the record book results out, there were a few 4-H members left out of the article.

Junior

Cale Laaser                             Poultry                                                Second Place

Jacob Lowrie                           Poultry                                                Fourth Place

Intermediate

Mariah Martinets                     Poultry                                                First Place

Kooper Martin                                    Poultry                                                Second Place

District 4-H Record Book Results

Winners in the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Rolling Plains- 3 District 4-H Record Book Judging were selected July 10^th, when screening groups met at the Extension Office in Archer City according to Kelli Lehman, Extension Program Specialist 4-H for the twenty-four Rolling Plains counties.

There were 213 books total, 64 Junior records, 82 Intermediate records, and 67 Senior records scored in 39 different project areas. Junior and Intermediate records were placed first through fifth place. First place Senior records will be submitted for State Judging, where they will compete for scholarships and awards.

4-H is the youth development and leadership program of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, a part of the Texas A&M System. Below is a list of placing for the participating Wise County Youth.

Juniors

Ross Edwards                                     Beef                                        First Place

Allie Tribe                               Clothing & Textiles                 Fifth Place

Angelina Newbold                  Clothing & Textiles                 First Place

Kailee Beth Buyers                 Clothing & Textiles                 Fourth Place

Brianna McKeever                  Companion Animal                 Second Place

Abigail Newbold                    Companion Animal                 First Place

Easton Vanover                      Consumer Education              First Place

Jessi Torres                              Food & Nutrition                    Fourth Place

Maranda Haschke                   Gardening                               First Place

Dustin Meadows                     Goat                                        Fifth Place

Rylee Maggret                        Horse                                       First Place

Clayton Meyers                       Photography                            Second Place

Luke Tribe                               Photography                            First Place

Cale Laaser                             Poultry                                    Second Place

Jacob Lowrie                           Poultry                                    Fourth Place

Intermediate   

          

Johanna Buyers           Beef                                        Participant

Kaylyn Shallene          Beef                                        Participant

Saydee Herndon         Companion Animal                 First Place

Michaela Martin          Dairy                                       First Place

Clint Demmitt             Goat                                        Second Place

Cassady Craddock      Horse                                       Third Place

Autumn Martinets       Horse                                       Participant

Ray Edwards              Personal Development            Second Place

Hannah Buckner         Photography                            Second Place

Brady Vanover           Photography                            First Place

Lauryn Luttrull           Rabbit                                     First Place

Danae Meadows         Swine                                      Participant

Carson Read               Swine                                      Third Place

Senior

Seth Byers                   Beef                                        Third Place

Fallon Sachse              Clothing & Textiles                 First Place

Keaton Vawter           Companion Animal                 First Place

Lyndi Luttrull             Consumer Education              First Place

Logan Moore              Foods & Nutrition                  First Place

Olivia Bettesworth      Goat                                        Fourth Place

Morgan Barnes            Health                                     First Place

Sarah Jennings            Horse                                       Fifth Place

Christian Cross            Leadership                              First Place

Caitlin Pruett               Personal Development            First Place

Shelby Vanover          Photography                            Second Place

Haylee Barksdale        Safety                                      First Place

Clayton Egle               Wildlife & Fisheries                Second Place

Record books involve accounting for all of the activities, community service, awards, and most of all anything that has to do with a 4-H’ers major project. With all of these things to keep track of, it becomes a family affair to keep track of all of these records throughout the year. These record books allow students to learn responsibility, creative writing, and effective records keeping that will benefit them as they go through the rest of their lives. Parents appreciate the amount of records that accumulate when it comes time for their seniors to apply for scholarships.

Seniors from Wise County have brought home $72,000 in scholarships and this wouldn’t have been possible if it hadn’t been for all that the record books taught them. This year we have had 49 record books turned in! Wise County represented a large portion of the books being judged; all due to the hard work and determination of the 4-H’ers and their families. Great Job Wise County!