Grant County Youth Excel At 2016 South Dakota State Fair

The South Dakota State Fair was held in Huron from August 31, through September 5. The name Mertens dominated the swine division. Karlee Mertens was crowned Grand Champion in the senior showmanship division. Karlee, with her pig, Stuart, was Grand Champion Lightweight York and Reserve Champion overall in the open class show. She also captured Reserve Champion in the purebred barrow class and was Reserve Champion Duroc in the open class show.

Lindsey Mertens was named Reserve Champion in the junior showmanship division and cousin Tanner Mertens placed fourth. Garrett Mertens finished third overall in the beginner showmanship class.

Lindsey, showing Draymond, was named Reserve Champion in the crossbred barrow middle weight division, captured Grand Champion Duroc Gilt, and was Reserve Champion all breeds in the open class show. She also was Grand Champion Duroc barrow in the open class show. Garrett was named Reserve Champion in the commercial gilt division.
“That was a proud 4-H advisor moment for me,” said Grant County 4-H Advisor Sara Koepke. “I am incredibly proud of their success. I always appreciate the showmanship portion of the fair. It showcases animal handling and sportsmanship at its finest.”

Consumer decision making teams also excelled at the State Fair. The beginner team of Hope Karels, Cailey Sime, and Brooke Schwagel captured first place. Hope also earned an individual fifth place. The junior team of William Karels, Cassidy Schwagel, and Logan Meyer finished fourth overall, and William placed fifth individually. “These members have faith in me teaching them the value of making wise purchasing decisions,” said Koepke.
To wrap up the high place winners, Hope Karels finished fifth overall in beginner dairy judging, and William Karels placed fourth overall in junior dairy judging.

Over 200 exhibits, livestock, static, and youth-in-action from Grant County were showcased during the fair. “Grant County 4-H members work countless hours throughout the year to prepare for State Fair and they were rewarded,” stated Koepke. “The State Fair is an opportunity for our county 4-H youth to show their talents, test their knowledge and prove their ability to achieve project completion. I am so proud of them all.”

Complete results for Grant County members:
Beef
Breeding Beef: Allison Leddy, Purple, Red Angus; Korbin Leddy, Purple, Charolais; Garrett Mertens, Purple, Angus; Kadon Leddy, Purple, Charolais
Market Beef: Korbin Leddy, Purple, Chianina Market Steer; Tanner Mertens, Purple, Chianina Market Steer; Allison Leddy, Purple, Hereford Market Steer; Kadon Leddy, Purple, Maine-Anjou Market Steer
Dairy Cattle
Devon Mueller, Blue, Registered Holstein; Sarah Jarman, Blue, Registered Holstein; Colten Giesen, Blue, Jersey; Jimmie Berkner, Blue, Jersey; Marion Mischel, Blue, Jersey; Tanner Schwagel, Purple, Jersey
Dairy Showmanship: Devon Mueller, Purple; Marion Mischel; Tanner Schwagel, Purple
Goats
Dairy Goat: Jill Spiering, Purple, Nubian; Jill Spiering, Purple, Nubian; Shane Spiering, Purple, Nubian
Showmanship: Shane Spiering, Purple
Market Meat Goat: Crystal Spiering, Red; Crystal Spiering, Red; Dylan Bohn, Purple; Allison Leddy, Purple; Allison Leddy, Purple; Dylan Bohn, Purple
Poultry
Callie Bolin, Purple, Duck-Heavy; Tanner Schwagel, Purple, Duck-Heavy; Tanner Schwagel, Blue, Duck-Heavy; Callie Bolin, Blue, Duck-Medium
Showmanship: Tanner Schwagel, Blue
Rabbit
Brooke Schwagel, Purple, Mini Rex; Brooke Schwagel, Purple, Mini Rex; Callie Bolin, Purple, Reserve Mini Rex; Tanner Schwagel, Purple, Netherland Dwarf/Agouti; Cassidy Schwagel, Blue;
Showmanship: Brooke Schwagel, Purple; Cassidy Schwagel, Purple; Tanner Schwagel, Red
Sheep
Breeding Sheep: Lily Breske, Blue, Dorset/Female; Taylor Dragt, Blue, Dorset/Female; Taylor Dragt, Blue, Dorset/Female; Lily Breske, Blue, Dorset/Male; Taylor Dragt, Blue, Dorset/Male
Swine
Showmanship: Garrett Mertens, Purple, Beginner 3rd; Karlee Mertens, Purple, Senior 1st; Lindsey Mertens, Purple, Junior 2nd; Tanner Mertens, Purple, Junior 4th
Commercial: Garrett Mertens, Purple, Division 3 Reserve Commercial Gilt; Garrett Mertens, Purple; Karlee Mertens, Purple; Katie VanderWal, Purple; Katie VanderWal, Blue; Katie VanderWal, Purple; Lindsey Mertens, Purple; Marion Mischel, Blue; Marion Mischel, Blue; Matthew Christensen, Blue; McKenzie Mertens, Purple; Tanner Mertens, Purple; Tanner Mertens, Purple; William Mischel, Blue; William Mischel, Blue;
Purebred: Karlee Mertens, Purple, Division 2 Reserve Purebred Barrow; Cailey Sime, Purple; Cailey Sime, Blue; Callie Bolin, Blue; Callie Bolin, Blue; Garrett Mertens, Purple; Karlee Mertens, Purple; Katie VanderWal, Purple; Korbin Leddy, Purple; Lindsey Mertens, Purple; Marion Mischel, Blue; Marion Mischel, Blue; McKenzie Mertens, Blue; Tanner Mertens, Purple; William Mischel, Blue; William Mischel, Blue
Static Exhibits
Visual Arts: Hope Karels, Blue; Nadia Thue, Purple; Nadia Thue, Purple; Dylan Bohn, Blue; Elyse Hunter, Blue; Elyse Reede, Blue; Hunter Reede, Blue; Karlee Mertens, Purple; Kathryn Mogen, Purple; Laura Eilers, Blue; Marnie Van Lith, Red; Crystal Spiering, Blue; Shane Spiering, Blue; Nadia Thue, Purple; Callie Bolin, Red; Karlee Mertens, Purple; Lydia Street, Purple; Hailey Street, Purple; Hunter Reede, Blue; Connor Wiik, Blue; Dylan Bohn, Purple; Logan Meyer, Blue; Casside Seezs, Purple; Casside Seezs, Blue; Cassidy Schwagel, Purple; Elyse Reede, Purple; Hope Karels, Blue; Sydney Zenk, Purple; Sage’ Lawrence, Purple; Devon Mueller, Purple; Elyse Reede, Blue; Hunter Reede, Red; Karlee Mertens, Purple; Lydia Street, Blue
Photography: Korbin Leddy, Blue; Sarah Jarman, Blue; Allison Grear, Purple; Kadon Leddy, Blue; Kadon Leddy, Blue; Sydney Zenk, Purple; Taylor Dragt, Blue; Allison Grear, Purple; Allison Grear, Blue; Devon Balling, Red; Marnie Van Lith, Purple; Callie Bolin, Blue; Hope Karels, Blue; Casside Seezs, Purple; Kylee Mogen, Blue; Taylor Dragt, Purple; Kadon Leddy, Purple; Sydney Zenk, Purple; Taylor Dragt, Purple; Taylor Dragt, Purple; Korbin Leddy, Purple; Mia Van Lith, Purple; Nadia Thue, Blue; Sydney Zenk, Purple; Cailey Sime, Purple; Hope Karels, Purple
Hobbies & Collections: Colten Giesen, Blue; Dylan Bohn, Blue; Kathryn Mogen, Red; Matthew Christensen, Purple; Tucker Giesen, Purple; William Karels, Purple
Home Environment: Hailey Zinter, Purple; Casside Seezs, Purple; Elyse Reede, Red; Hunter Reede, Red; Korbin Leddy, Purple; Casside Seezs, Blue; Hope Karels, Blue; Korbin Leddy, Purple; Kylee Mogen, Red; Piper Grear, Purple; Sydney Zenk, Purple
Food Preservation: Casside Seezs, Purple; Kadon Leddy, Purple; Kiera Leddy, Purple; Korbin Leddy, Purple; Owen Neeley, Purple; William Karels, Purple
Foods & Nutrition: Hope Karels, Purple; Shaylee Schuchard, Purple; William Karels, Purple; Casside Seezs, Purple; Nadia Thue, Purple; Noah Steinlicht, Purple; Tanner Schwagel, Blue; Laura Eilers, Blue; Kadon Leddy, Red; Korbin Leddy, Red; Nadia Thue, Purple; Cailey Sime, Blue
Clothing & Textiles: Brooke Schwagel, Blue; Elyse Reede, Red; Hope Karels, Red; Hunter Reede, Red; Elyse Reede, Purple; Sage’ Lawrence, Purple; Sydney Zenk, Blue; Tanner Schwagel, Blue; Casside Seezs, Blue; Hailey Zinter, Blue; Nadia Thue, Blue
Citizenship: Connor Wiik, Blue; Hope Karels, Purple; Kadon Leddy, Purple; Kylee Mogen, Blue; William Karels, Purple
Wildlife & Fisheries: Logan Meyer, White; Logan Meyer, White; Matthew Christensen, White; Devon Mueller, Purple
Wood Science: Casside Seezs, Purple; Owen Neeley, Purple; Noah Mursu, Blue; Taylor Dragt, Purple
Music/Dance: Cailey Sime, Red; Logan Meyer, Red; William Karels, Red; William Karels, Blue
Others: Logan Meyer, Purple (Child Development & Family Life); Hope Karels, Purple (Community Service); William Karels, Purple (Community Service); William Karels, Red (Computers & Technology); Kadon Leddy, Purple (Consumer Education; Korbin Leddy, Purple (Consumer Education); Owen Neeley, Purple (First Aid/Health); Kadon Leddy, Purple, (Graphic Design); Kadon Leddy, Purple (Graphic Design); Hope Karels, Blue (Health/Safety); Kadon Leddy, Blue (Horticulture, Gardening & Landscaping); Noah Steinlicht, Red (Horticulture, Gardening & Landscaping); Sage’ Lawrence, Purple ( Horticulture, Gardening & Landscaping); William Karels, Purple (Leadership Skills Development); Sage’ Lawrence, Purple (Poultry & Eggs); Korbin Leddy, Blue, Range Sciences & Pasture Management); William Karels, Purple (Robotics)
Public Presentations
Hope Karels, Blue, Beginner Illustrated Talk; William Karels, Purple, Junior Illustrated Talk
Special Foods
Hope Karels, Blue, Beginner; Cailey Sime, Blue, Beginner; William Karels, Purple, Junior
Consumer Decision Making
Beginner: Hope Karels, Purple, 5th Individual Place; Cailey Sime, Purple; Brooke Schwagel, Red; 1st Place Beginner Team
Junior: William Karels, Purple, 5th Individual Place; Cassidy Schwagel, Purple; Logan Meyer, Red; 4th Place Junior Team
Fashion Review
Callie Bolin, Purple, Selected Outfit; Devon Balling, Blue, Selected Outfit
Dairy Judging
Beginner: Hope Karels, 5th Overall Individual
Junior: William Karels, 4th Overall Individual

Click here to view out album of photos from the South Dakota State Fair!