Posted: February 14, 2024
Four Pennsylvania 4-H members from Lebanon County — Caleb Nolt, Alex Heisey, James Voight and Trevor Manbeck — earned high honors in the livestock judging contest at the National Western Stock Show, held recently in Denver, Colorado.
Trevor Manbeck, Alex Heisey, James Voight, and Caleb Nolt
Organizers refer to the event as "the Super Bowl of livestock shows," as it draws hundreds of competitors from across the United States.
The Pennsylvania team placed 16th overall. The team earned sixth place in swine, 16th in sheep, 15th in goats, 17th in cattle, and 17th in team reasons. In the individual swine category, Nolt placed seventh and Voight earned 11th place.
Livestock judging contests help youth learn breed and conformation standards, advancing their knowledge of the livestock industry, noted Kirsten Dubbs, 4-H animal science specialist with Penn State Extension.
"They learn to evaluate and rank classes of animals that are placed in front of them at judging contests," she said. "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 this knowledge could benefit participants in future careers in the livestock industry, Dubbs also pointed out the opportunities for building organizational skills, critical thinking, memorization, and evaluation skills.
"It teaches them to think on their feet and reason their way through the decision-making process," she said. "They learn public speaking and communication skills. It's hard to overstate the life skills impact of participating in judging at this level."
Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a nonformal educational youth-development program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that helps young people develop knowledge and skills to become capable, caring, and contributing citizens. To find your local program, visit the Penn State Extension 4-H website.
