The Bowman County 4-H Livestock Judging Team finished their season with contests in Bowman on Jan. 20, Beulah on Feb. 27, and the State Livestock Judging Contest on the campus of North Dakota State University in Fargo on March 5.
Team members include Grant Kees, Blake Wolbaum, Timber Hauso, Dillon Bowman, and Kaylee Kinsey. In Bowman the team had a strong showing at their home contest with Grant Kees placing 10th High Individual. The team placed ninth overall. The next weekend the team left bright and early to travel to Beulah for the West River Judging contest. Kaylee Kinsey led the team placing 23rd overall, and the team placed ninth. To round out the year, the junior team, along with two senior judgers, traveled to Fargo to compete at the state contest on March fifth.
This contest offered a new challenge as it included 9 classes, 3 sets of reasons, and a class of questions instead of just the 6 classes, 3 sets of reasons that the previous contests had.
At the end of the day, Grant Kees and Dillon Bowman got their names called for placing in the top half of more than 120 junior judgers. The junior team had a strong showing, placing 16th. The senior judgers making the trip were Colby Steeke and Abbi Steeke.
Both got their names called for placing in the top half of 100 senior judgers.
(Submitted by Beth Hendrickx)