Grant County 4-H Wins Another State Championship

Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 19 July 2017 19 July 2017

The 2017 State 4-H Conference was held in Las Cruces July 10-13 where top youth from around the state attend to have fun, participate in workshops and compete in 4-H contests. Grant County 4-H came home with a State Championship and several high point individuals. While at the conference youth attended a BBQ and street dance put on by the NMSU College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. The food for the BBQ was provided by New Mexico Department of Agriculture. Workshops at this year’s conference focused on leadership, using 4-H as a pathway to a career, college preparation and healthy living.

Several members attended the state conference and competed in various contests. Ariana Smith competed in prepared speech with a speech titled “I speak for the bees.” The competition was tough but Ariana did very well. Trent Kasten and Cooper Miller both participated in impromptu speech.

Participating in livestock judging was Tanna Goar, Austin Harsh, Cursten Blanton and Ariana Smith. The team placed eighth in the state competition. In the livestock skill-a-thon Kolby Taylor, Chris Morgan, Cursten Blanton, Austin Harsh and Tanna Goar placed ninth as a team.

Austin Harsh, Ashley Armijo and Cursten Blanton participated in this year’s horse judging contest and placed ninth overall. Grant County also had a horticulture team, Raelynn Moon, Ariana Smith, Tayler Lamb and Ashleigh Armijo. The team placed seventh in the competition.

Grant County 4-H had two contestants in the talent contest. Chris Morgan in the musical category and Tayler Lamb in the vocal category. Both contestants did an excellent job. Julian and Javiel Garcia, Cooper Miller, Chris Morgan and Parker McMillan competed in the wildlife contest. The team did very well in the competition and is looking forward to competing next year.

In the range management contest Justin Billings, Kolby Taylor and Trent Kasten competed against other teams from the state. The team placed second. Justin Billings also won high point individual in the range contest winning a belt buckle and receiving a $500 scholarship from NMSU Department of Animal and Range Science. Kolby Taylor was fourth high individual in the contest and Trent was seventh high. Additionally, Justin Billings will receive $75 from the Southwest Soil and Water Conservation District for being high point individual in the range contest.

The Grant County 4-H land judging team came home as state champions. Kolby Taylor was the high point individual in the contest receiving a belt buckle. Justin Billings was second high individual and Trent Kasten was fourth high. The team is receiving $150 from the Southwest Soil and Water Conservation District that will be awarded at the Grant County Soil and Water Conservation meeting in August. Additionally, Kolby will be receiving $75 as high point and Justin Billings is getting $50 for being second high point in the contest.

We are extremely proud of our 4-H members and their accomplishments this year at the State 4-H Conference. We would like to express a special thank you to Judy O’Loughlin, Kerry Taylor, Beau Jackson, Leslie Crumbley, Brian Miller and Kelsey Garner for assisting in coaching this year’s teams. New Mexico State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educator. NMSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

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