A36-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 9, 1991
Marie Tracy, 4-H Club president and member of the senior
dlvlson of the 4-H Livestock Judging Team, presents his
reasons to coach Chet Hughes, Lancaster livestock agent.
Livestock Team
(Continued from Pago Al)
national title. Chet Hughes, Lan
caster livestock agent, and Greg
Musser, coach, have accompanied
the 4-H’ers to Louisville for the
event The Lancaster team is com
prised of Mark Tracy, 15, Eli
zabethtown; Peter Hoffines, 16,
Marietta; Wendall Landis, IS,
Manheim; and Dwain Livengood,
18, Lancaster.
The temperature began to fall as
the team members headed inside,
studying their notes and organiz
ing their thoughts. During late in
the afternoon of this practice ses
sion, the livestock team examined
several classes of Santa Gertrudis
cattle.
Team members also looked over
a scorecard highlighting navel and
sheath measurements of the cattle;
they took more notes; and as the .
sun fell and temperatures sank,
they were busy imprinting the clas
ses in their mind in preparation for
a test of their reasoning abilities
before livestock coach Chet
Hughes.
‘T think the most difficult thing
for the kids is to be able to see the
animals and take the proper
notes,” said Hughes.
Remember placings
According to Hughes, the team
is instructed to look for individual
characteristics on the animals they
judge, try to picture that animal in
the mind, and remember the plac
ings and the reasons behind the
placings during the presentations.
At NAILE, each member of the
team will judge 10 classes of any
of various breeds of livestock.
Each class is about IS minutes
long. They will judge each class by
type with performance data. After
ward, they will present the reasons
to a set of judges.
During their reasonings, team
members will not be permitted to
read from notes.
Every class is worth 5Q points,
and every set of reasons 50 points.
Hughes said the judges are looking
at accuracy of placings in the Has
ses. Next, judges will be cpncemed
about the reasonings and the
reasonings have to be accurate.
Placed logically
“The important thing is that you
saw the animals and you placed
them in the logical sense,” he said.
As an example, if a member
placed the last little heifer first
then try to make the heifer sound
better to the judge than she was,
the member could lose points if it
was clear the heifer belonged in
last place.
Some members will try to
memorize their reasons. But when
they give their reasons, and sud
denly draw a blank, the judges can
deduct scoring points.
“What we try to teach our guys
is that you learn to remember the
class in your heads, instead of try
ing to memeorize your reason,” he
said. “You try to write things
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Members of the 4-H Livestock Judging Team prepare for nationals. The Lancaster
Co. team placed first In the state and practiced on the farm owned by Jim Quanbeck,
far right. From left, Chet Hughes, team coach; Mark Tracy, Wendall Landis, Peter Hof
flnes, and Dwaln Llvengood.
down, like the ‘white-navel heif
er,’ and then you’ll never forget
You visualize her in your mind,
what she looks like. So when
you’re giving your reasons, you
can recall what she looks like.”
Lot of practice
“It takes an awful lot of practice
to get to that point, where you can
just stand up and talk about it,” he
said.
Although the number of classes
doesn’t exceed the eastern nation
als, the competition, according to
Hughes, will be “grueling.”
“I’ve been to judging contests
and it seems like it’s a little more
difficult,” said Tracy. “Every
body’s on top of every state, so it’s
a little more closer in
competition.”
The senior division team won
the statewide contest in July this
year at the state 4-H Days at Penn
State. Tracy said that contest was
easier and more clear-cut. But
now, he is up against more stiff
competition from states with a
great deal of talent, and preparing
for it has been arduous.
Expand knowledge
“The more I expand my know
ledge of what I’m supposed to do,
the more I know what I’m sup
posed to say,” said Tracy. “You
feel more confident, but still,
you’re more nervous of what’s
going to be coming up.”
The group practiced at the farm
of Jim Quanbeck, who operates a
43-acre cattle farm near Columbia.
There, Quanbeck raises 17 head of
purebred Santa Gertrudis, a cross
between Shorthorns and Brahmans
(13/16 Shorthom/3/16 Brahman)
first bred at the King Ranch in
Kingsville Texas in 1942. The
cattle are noted for their durability
in hot or cold weather, fast gain,
good health, and calving ease.
“It’s a good meat animal,” said
Quanbeck.
Quanbeck explained to the
members the breed history and
importance of the cattle. “The ani
mal is more suited to the environ
ment in Texas.” he told the group.
“They have good heat tolerance,
although they’re also good in cold
weather. They gain fast and they
are quite easy calving.”
Turn out good carcass
In addition, according to Quan
beck, the cattle turn out a select to a
low-choice carcass. Quanbeck
said he is only one of two breeders
of Santa Gertrudis in the county.
“But we think we’re positioned
pretty good in today’s market
because of lot of people are look-
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