Kentucky wins National 4-H Animal Science Skillathon
Friday, November 30, 2007
The Kentucky 4-H Animal Science Skillathon team took top honors at the National Contest held at the North American International Livestock Exposition last November. The team of Elizabeth Riley, Catherine Riley and Cory Wallace, all members of Christian County 4-H bested 12 other teams to win the prestigious award.
In the overall individual events, Elizabeth Riley was named reserve champion, while Catherine placed 10th. Catherine Riley was the top individual in the identification individual area, Elizabeth was 6th and the team was fourth. In Quality assurance the team was third and the Riley sisters were tied for 6th. In Evaluation the team was 6th and Elizabeth also 6th. That consistency was able to carry them to the top with an seven point margin over Minnesota
Animal Science Skillathon has been a National Event since 1999, when a Kentucky Team was also the National Champion. The Animal Science Skillathon was initiated by the late Monty Chappell and the 2007 team received the Monty Chappell traveling trophy that was presented to the National Event by the Chappell family in honor of the 1999 team and all the subsequent teams that would compete in the contest.
The skillathon tests the participant’s skill in all areas of animal science. Specifically the contestants are tested in individual events in identification of breeds, meats, equipment, hay judging, wool judging, quality assurance and a 30 question general animal science quiz. A more important part of the contest is the team events. This portion really tests the 4-H member’s critical thinking, decision making and teamwork skills. There were five events in the team potions. Selection and Marketing, Feeds, Meat judging and carcass evaluation, Keep Cull with visual and performance analysis of eight Boer does, and Quality Assurance, which involved penning, catching, weighing, drenching and trimming feet using lambs.
To prepare for the contest the team counted on their years of participating in skillathon to carry them through the individual events. The team worked Dr. Gregg Rentfrow, UK Extension Meats Specialist, Dr. Darrh Bullock and Dr. John Johns Extension UK Beef Specialists and Dr. Richard Coffey, UK Extension Swine specialists to prepare for the team events. The team also noted that the time they spent with the Clark County team that competed in 2006 was very important in helping them prepare for the event.
