Senior 4-H livestock judging team qualifies for nationals

Six 4-H members from Perkins and Chase counties competed in the livestock judging portion of the Premier Animal Science Event on UNL’s East Campus June 23.
PASE is a two-day event designed to help youths learn about issues related to the animal industry, explore career opportunities that are available and compete with other teens from across the state.
The contestants judged cattle, swine, sheep and goats and gave reasons for their placings in certain classes. The senior team placed third overall out of 16 teams, one point ahead of fourth place Dawson County, which qualifies them to judge at a national contest. The location will be announced later in July.
As a team, Mandy Sandoval, Tessa Smith and Ashley Robertson were third in team cattle, fifth in team reasons, sixth in team swine and 10th in team sheep/goats.
Individually, Sandoval placed seventh, Smith 16th and Robertson was 30th.
Sandoval was fourth in swine fifth in cattle. Smith placed 10th in sheep/goats.
Robertson stepped up and joined Sandoval and Smith in early June which allowed the group to compete as a team.
The Chase County Intermediate Livestock Judging team placed second overall out of 20 intermediate teams competing. Chase County finished just three points behind Webster County, which had eight participants. Each team’s top three scores combine for the team total.
Extension Educator Deb Kuenning with the Perkins and Chase County Extension offices said she was proud of how the two teams of three placed without being able to drop a score.
“Everyone has to be on,” Kue nning said.
Odessa Zadina, Navy Havel and Jayme Gittlein placed first in team reasons, second in team cattle, fourth in team sheep/goats and seventh in team swine.
As individuals, Zadina was fifth, Havel 13th and Gittlein was 16th overall. In reasons, Gittlein was second and Havel fourth. Zadina placed second individually in the sheep/goats portion.
Both teams are coached by Regan Gittlein.