Youth Bring Home State Fair Ribbons

Youth from Grant County showed their talents at the 2015 South Dakota State Fair. “Sew It, Grow It, Show It” was this year’s theme. Several 4-H’ers earned top spots during the five-day event.

Allison Leddy won Grand Champion in the Red Angus Breeding Beef division and earned a purple ribbon. Sam Jarman took fifth place overall in Supreme Champion Heifer and Champion Grade Holstein Heifer in the Dairy Cattle Show and earned a purple ribbon. Jersey Peschong took home the title of Reserve Champion and also earned a purple ribbon for her Jersey Heifer.

Kadon, Kiera, and Korbin Leddy garnered top honors for Meat Goat Showmanship. In the Senior division, Kierra won fourth place and Kadon won fifth. Korbin was third in the Beginner division. Korbin also earned fourth place in the Market Wether class of the Meat Goat division and was awarded a purple ribbon.

Katie Mogen won third place in the Senior division of Poultry Showmanship and earned a blue ribbon. Brooke Schwagel was second in Best of Breed in the Rabbit Show with her Rex breed and won a purple ribbon.

McKenzie Mertens took home the title of Reserve Champion Lightweight Commercial Gilt and with it a purple ribbon from the Swine Show. She was also second in Showmanship for the Senior division.

Riley VanderWal took third place in Barrow Showmanship while Lindsey Mertens was first in the Junior division. Tanner Mertens placed fourth.

The Beginner Consumer Decision-making team of Mia Van Lith, Cailey Sime, and Hope Karels placed nineteenth overall with 501 points. The Junior team of Allison Leddy, William Karels, Noah Steinlicht, and Logan Meyer earned seventh place with 648 points.

William and Hope Karels both placed fifth in the State Dairy Judging competition. William was in the Junior division and Hope was in the Beginner division.

Click here to view photos of the Grant County Youth from the State Fair!

Following are the complete results for all the Grant County Youth:

Livestock Breeding Beef – Allison Leddy, Grand Champion Red Angus, purple; Korbin Leddy, Char Composite, purple; Garrett Mertens, Chianina and ChiHybrid, purple; Tanner Mertens, Foundation Simmental, purple.

Market Beef – Kadon Leddy, Charolais, purple; Tanner Mertens, Chianina, purple; Garrett Mertens, Crossbred, blue; Lindsey Mertens, Crossbred, blue; McKenzie Mertens, Crossbred, purple; Rebecca Leddy, Hereford, purple.

Dairy Cattle – Sam Jarman, 5th place overall Supreme Champion Heifer, Champion grade Holstein Heifer, purple; Jersey Peschong, Reserve Champion Jersey Heifer, purple; Colten Giesen, Jersey, blue; Hope Karels, registered Holstein, purple; Jimmie Berkner, Jersey, purple; Sam Jarman, registered Holstein, blue; Sarah Jarman, Brown Swiss, purple; Sarah Jarman, registered Holstein, red; Sarah Jarman, registered Holstein, blue.

Dairy Goat – Jill Spiering, Nubian, purple.

Meat Goat Showmanship – Kadon Leddy, fifth in senior division, purple; Kiera Leddy, fourth in senior division, purple; Korbin Leddy, third in beginner division, purple.

Breeding Meat Goat – Dylan Bohn, blue; Crystal Spiering, red; Crystal Spiering, red.

Market Meat Goat – Korbin Leddy, 4th place Market Wether, purple; Dylan Bohn, Market Doe, purple; Dylan Bohn, Market Wether, purple; Allison Leddy, Market Wether, purple; Kadon Leddy, Market Wether, purple; Rebecca Leddy, Market Wether, blue.

Poultry Showmanship – Katie Mogen, 3rd place in senior division, blue.

Rabbit Show – Brooke Schwagel, 2nd best of breed, Rex, purple; Cassidy Schwagel, Polish, blue; Tanner Schwagel, New Zealand, purple.

Rabbit Showmanship – Brooke Schwagel, red; Cassidy Schwagel, purple.

Breeding Sheep – Aimee Thyne, Suffolk male, blue; Jacob Thyne, Suffolk male, blue; Jordan Thiele, Suffolk female, blue; Jordan Thiele, Suffolk female, purple; Lily Breske, Dorset female, purple; Matthew Christensen, Southdown female, blue; Noah Thompson, Suffolk female, blue; Tarah Thyne, Suffolk female, purple; Taylor Dragt, Dorset male, purple; Taylor Dragt, Dorset female, blue.

Swine – McKenzie Mertens, Reserve Champion Lightweight Commercial Gilt, purple; Andrew Christensen, commercial, blue; Andrew Christensen, commercial, blue; Garrett Mertens, commercial, purple; Garrett Mertens, purebred, blue; Karlee Mertens, commercial, purple; Karlee Mertens, commercial, purple; Katie VanderWal, purebred, purple; Lindsey Mertens, commercial, purple; Lindsey Mertens, commercial, purple; Matthew Christensen, commercial, blue; Matthew Christensen, commercial, blue; Riley VanderWal, commercial, purple; Riley VanderWal, commercial, blue; Tanner Mertens, commercial, blue; Tanner Mertens, commercial, purple; Tanner Mertens, purebred, blue; Will Mischel, commercial, blue; Will Mischel, commercial, blue; Will Mischel, commercial, blue.

Swine Showmanship – McKenzie Mertens, 2nd place senior, purple; Lindsey Mertens, 1st place junior, purple; Tanner Mertens, 4th place junior, purple; Garrett Mertens, purple.

Static Exhibits – Isabella Anderson, visual arts, purple; Devon Balling, photography, blue (2); Dylan Bohn, hobbies & collections, purple; Dylan Bohn, home environment, blue; Callie Bolin, visual arts, purple; Callie Bolin, foods & nutrition, purple; Michaela DeWald, food preservation, purple (2); Taylor Dragt, photography, blue, purple; Sharon Folk, photography, blue (2); Beth Goodhart, photography, purple; Beth Goodhart, visual arts, purple; Katrina Goodhart, photography, blue (2); Sarah Jarman, home environment, purple; Hope Karels, hobbies & collections, purple; Hope Karels, foods & nutrition, purple; William Karels, community service, purple; William Karels, hobbies & collections, purple; Kadon Leddy, graphic design, purple; Kadon Leddy, food preservation, purple; Kiera Leddy, photography, purple; Kiera Leddy, food preservation, purple; Korbin Leddy, clothing & textiles, purple; Korbin Leddy, home environment, purple; Logan Meyer, visual arts, purple; Logan Meyer, photography, purple; Claire Mischel, visual arts, purple (2); Marion Mischel, photography, purple (2); Katie Mogen, veterinary science, purple; Katie Mogen, hobbies & collections, purple; Kylee Mogen, character education, purple; Kylee Mogen, beef, purple; Noah Mursu, photography, purple; Owen Neeley, food preservation, purple; Owen Neeley, wood science, purple; Elyse Reede, visual arts, purple; Elyse Reede, foods & nutrition, purple; Brianna Schreurs, writing & public speaking, purple; Brianna Schreurs, citizenship, purple; Brooke Schwagel, visual arts, purple (2); Cassidy Schwagel, visual arts, purple (2); Tanner Schwagel, welding science, purple; Tanner Schwagel, visual arts, blue; Casside Seezs, clothing & textiles, purple (2); Jasmine Spartz, child development & family life, blue; Jasmine Spartz, food & nutrition, purple; Tosha Spartz, forestry, purple; Tosha Spartz, foods & nutrition, purple; Crystal Spiering, horticulture, gardening & landscaping, red; Crystal Spiering, visual arts, purple; Shane Spiering, wood science, blue; Noah Steinlicht, electricity, purple; Noah Steinlicht, foods & nutrition, purple; Benett Street, shooting sports, purple; Lydia Street, visual arts, blue; Mia Van Lith, visual arts, purple; Mia Van Light, photography, purple; Hailey Zinter, visual arts, purple (2).

Beginner Consumer Decision Making Individual – Mia Van Lith, 43rd, 197, blue; Hope Karels, 69th, 172, red; Cailey Sime, 95th, 132, red.

Junior Consumer Decision Making Individual – William Karels, 30th, 221, purple; Noah Steinlicht, 39th, 219, purple; Allison Leddy, 72nd, 208, blue; Logan Meyer, 102nd, 177, red.

Senior Consumer Decision Making Individual – Sharon Folk, 31st, 212, blue; Callie Bolin, 83rd, 172, red.

Fashion Review – Callie Bolin, selected outfit, blue; Michaela DeWald, selected outfit, purple.

Special Foods – William Karels, junior class, purple; Hope Karels, beginner class, purple; Cailey Sime, beginner class, purple.

Public Presentations – Hope Karels, beginner public speaking, purple; William Karels, junior illustrated talk, purple; William Karels, junior public speaking, purple; Kylee Mogen, junior public speaking, purple.