Big Country kids win big at 4-H State Roundup
4-H’ers in Runnels, Scurry and Callahan counties brought home numerous honors from the recent 4-H State Roundup. Other counties also did well, but these three had the most awards.
Teams from Runnels and Scurry counties both finished top 4 in the duds to dazzle/wearable event. Runnels County, represented by Emma Harrison, Emma Rutledge, Kendall Smith, Keni Drennan and Kyleigh Andrews, was second, with Scurry County (Addee Williams, Anzlee Hale and Natalie Reed) fourth.
They did even better in the food challenge/healthy dessert event, finishing 1-2, this time with Scurry County on top. Allie Gullett, Whitley Anderson, Molly Herrin and Kelton White edged past Runnels’ Payton Branham, Cecelia Fritze, Elyse Taubert and Peyton Graves. The Scurry team later was second in the final challenge and qualified for national competition.
Individuals from the two counties won other events. Scurry County’s Hale was second in healthy dessert, while White was fourth in main dish. Hale joined Brayson Cox, Lauren Callaway and Cooper Caswwell for second place in the food challenge main dish category.
Gullett, Caswell and Herring, joined by Whitley Anderson, finished first in photography judging. Finally, Hale, Reed and Addee Williams were forth in duds to dazzle/wearable. Capping off the week, Williams earned a $20,000 scholarship from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
For Runnels County, Branham, Fritze, Taubert and Graves teamed again to finish second in the healthy lifestyles invitational. In the food show, Fritze was second in appetizer, Mason Cave second in main dish and Branham third in side dish.
Kaelynn Hoelscher took top honors with her agriculture and natural resources presentation. Cave, Trevor Gibs and Alexandria Kalina each received $20,000 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo scholarships.
Big winner for Callahan County was the wool judging team of Janna Arnold, Kilye Winge, Avery Walton and Kasey Arnold. They finished third in the contest, good enough to qualify for the national event – which they proceeded to win. Janna Arnold was high point and Winge second at the latter event. The same team finished fourth in mohair evaluation during Roundup.
Kaitlynn Saunders came up big as well. She (along with Gracelyn Ivy, Taryn Hudspeth and Shayleigh Jenkins) finished fourth in photography judging, and fourth (with Andrew Thumsuden, Kaitlyn Payne and Jenkins) in entomology identification. As an individual, she was third in the wildlife challenge. Kody DeAx of Comanche County was fifth in that event.
Also of note, the Earthman family of Knox County earned multiple recognitions. Belle was fourth in fashion show construction/everyday living; Morgan fourth in semi-formal to formal; and they combined with brother Nate to finish third in share the fun, musical/instrumental.
Stephens County also had a team qualify for national competition. Their range evaluation team of Aiden Boulevard, Kyelin Cope, Sydney Garland and Hannah Moreno won that honor by finishing second. The same team was also second in range and pasture grass ID. Moreno also pulled in a fourth-place finish in public speaking.
Some local students received scholarships in varying amounts. Receiving $20,000 from Houston Stock Show and Rodeo were Cason Guthrie, Mills County; Addee Williams, Scurry County; Maggie Spikes, Haskell County; and Mason Cave, Trevor Gibbs and Alexandria Kalina, Runnels County.
Jacob Simpson (Brown County) received $10,000 from Richard Walrath Education Foundation, and Nathaniel Martin (Haskell County) $1,500 from Texas Extension Educational Foundation.
Deadlines
- Wednesday for Girl Scout solar powered car races July 16, Pop Art Museum, San Angelo. $35 per entry; out-of-council Girl Scouts welcome. Registration details at gsctx.org under “Events” calendar. Contact: Kayla Robinson, kaylar@gsctx.org.
Closings/cancellations
- Boy Scout office in Abilene closed July 4-8.
- Girl Scout facilities in Central Texas Council, including Brownwood office, available by appointment only. Masks required unless otherwise specified.www.gsctx.org or 800-733-0011.
Contact Carl Kieke at 325-673-3552 (voice only); or kiekec@suddenlink.net. Deadline is Monday for publication the following Monday.