A2O-L«nca»ter Farming, Saturday, August 21, 1999 Amanda Darr, Boswell, Somerset County Lamb and Wool Queen, right, talks shop with Dwight Smith, Berlin, during the skiilathon. ANDY ANDREWS Wednesday marked the second Lancaster Fanning Staff Lamb Sktllatbon and Live Lamb ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.) Show at the Penn Stole showcase A two-year-old Ag Progress Days event, Ag Progress. At the skil event is already creating its own lathon, 35 4-H contestants paraded offspring, spawning interest in 4-H 31 lambs in the show ring, in addx members from a multicounty reg- don to judging meats, scoring on ion, involving a wide array of 4-H equipment and herd health quiz clubs and using educational tools zcs > answering questions on feeds employed by the livestock industry and nutrition, and brushing up on to motivate youth. their management skills. At the feed identification table, Deidra Smith, White Oak 4-H Club member, left, and Debbie Rudy, Lower Dauphin 4-H Club member, write down their answers. Jayson Harpster, Centre County 4-H Sheep Club mem- ty 4 ' H ’ writes down hi# ber, left, and Morris Pratt, Penns Valley 4-H member, exa- answers at the skiilathon mine information at the herd health table. equipment table. As Ag Progress Event Attests, Skillathons Grow In Popularity Grand and reserve champions at the skillathon and live lamb show during Ag Prog ress Days. Front row, from left, Carl Rudy, George Peters, Chris Herr, Judge for the show, Denise Hardisky, and Jason Levan. Back, from left, Amanda Miller, Jayson Harpster, Michael Burrell, and Jill Neiman. Combined with a live lamb show that judged animal type and exhibitor showmanship skills, an overall champion and reserve of the day were selected. Keith Btyan, Penn State animal science instructor and judge of the sldllathon herd health, equipment, feeds, and overall management contests, noted that 4-H clubs con tinue to adopt skillathons in their programs. Clarion and Venango counties put some sldllathon con tests in place, Lebanon has tried it, and Berks started it last year and conducted a'sldllathon again this year, Bryan noted. “Everybody has been veiy posi tive with the skillathon’s overali effects,” said Dr. Bill Henning meats specialist with Penn State “The emphasis has been taken-of winning in the show ring am placed on more general knowledge of the industry.” Henning served as meats judge at the lamb skillathon, assisted by Joan Grim, Thomasville. 4-H members from several counties participated in Wednes day's contest at Ag Progress Days, including Berks, Lehigh, Mont gomery, Dauphin, Lycoming, Sus quehanna, Clinton, York, Centre, mid Blair. According to Henning, several Penn State Alpha Zeta fraternity members helped conduct the con test, in addition to club leaders. Henning, meats judge, said that contest participants were required to properly identify the cuts, Carl Rudy, Dauphin Coun- Meats table contestants Judge cuts during the annual Ag Progress Days skillathon. including wholesale type, retail name, and actual type (whether a steak, slice, chop, or roast). Bryan also served as type judge. Chris Herr, Pennsylvania deputy ag secretary, was showmanship judge. A possible maximum individual score for the skillathon was 500 points. The contestants were divided into four age groups: 9-10 year-olds, 11-12 year-olds, 13-14 year-olds, and 15-year-olds and over. Five stations were worth 100 points each. There was a total of 150 possible points from the show manship division and 350 from the type division. Fifty percent of the total number of points came from the skillathon itself, 35 from lamb ranking, and 15 percent from showmanship, when selecting the overall champ ion. The overall champion received a $2OO savings bond and the reserve a $lOO savings bond. In the skillathon contest, first place premium was $5O, second $45, and third, $4O. In the lives tock show, first place premium was $3O, second $25, and third, $2O. Overall champions were selected. Far 15 years old and more, first place went to Mike Bur rell, second to Jill Nciman, and third to Cathryn Levan. For con testants age 13-14, first place went to Jayson Harps ter, second to Amanda Miller, and third to Mor ris Pratt m. For contestants aged 11-12, first place went to Denise Hardisky, second to Jason Levan, and third to Dana Hardisky. In the 9-10 year old age categ ory, first place went to George Peters, second to Carl Rudy, and third to Molly Enos.
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