Perkins-Chase Livestock Judging Team competes

By Alan Carman
The Imperial Republican
    The Perkins-Chase County Livestock Judging Team traveled to the UNL Campus June 18-19 to compete in the Premier Animal Science Event state 4-H livestock judging contest.
    Team members include Jayme Gittlein, Violet Sparrow, Lily Kuenning, Hayden Fowler, Paisley Holmstedt and Charlie Spickelmier. The team is coached by Reagan Gittlein and includes junior, intermediate and senior divisions.
    Competing as the teams only junior, Spickelmier led the way as the overall third high individual in the junior division with a score of 544 points after finishing first for Reasons, ninth for Cattle and Swine, as well as 12th in Sheep/Goats.
    The intermediate team, made up of Kuenning, Fowler and Holmstedt, were the ninth highest overall team with a score of 1740. The team was runner-up for Reasons, ninth for Cattle and Swine as well as 12th in Sheep/Goats.
    Individually, Kuenning finished 22nd overall after placing 15th in Reasons, 23rd in Cattle, 23rd for Swine and 35th for Sheep/Goats. Fowler placed 29th overall, only nine points back from Kuenning, with fifth place in Reasons, 13th place in Swine, 26th in Cattle and 61st in Sheep/Goats. Holmstedt, in her first PASE competition, was 48th overall individual, placing 11th in Reasons, 23rd in Sheep/Goats, 43rd in Cattle and 61st for Swine.
    The Perkins-Chase senior team consisted of Gittlein, Robinson and Sparrow. After last years first place team finish, Gittlein and Robinson were only allowed to compete as individuals.
    Gittlein was the tenth individual overall with a score of 704, followed by Robinson in 12th place with a score of 699. Gittlein and Robinson were fourth and sixth respectively, in individual Reasons, followed by Sparrow in 43rd.
    Only 12 points separated the top 14 in Cattle, with Robinson (289) finishing 4th and Gittlein (282) 14th. In Sheep/Goats, Robinson placed 13th and Gittlein 24th. The group also had a nice showing in Swine, with Gittlein sixth, Sparrow 13th and Robinson 40th.
    The Nebraska 4-H Premier Animal Science Event, (PASE), features a variety of state-level animal science contests. The two-day event is held annually at the Nebraska Animal Science Complex in Lincoln.
    Youth explore issues related to the animal industry, discover college and career opportunities and work with other youth from across the state. Youth have the opportunity to participate in livestock contests that do not require owning or exhibiting a live animal, including livestock, meat, poultry, companion animal and animal welfare judging, as well as livestock skill-a-thon and livestock quiz bowl. Youth can participate in more than one contest or event as their schedule allows.