(Louisville, KY) – The 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl and Livestock Skillathon teams from Grant County were both crowned Reserve National Champions at the 2024 North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky. In the Livestock Quiz Bowl contest, team members who participated answered questions via a buzzer system format.  Michael Edgington, Cameron Patterson, Luke Patterson, and Libby Vogt were team members. Libby Vogt placed 5^th, and Luke Patterson placed 8^th in total questions answered. 

In the Livestock Skillathon contest, participants complete a 25-question written test and seven individual skill-a-thon stations where contestants participate in livestock breed identification, feed identification, equipment identification, meat identification, quality assurance, and wool and hay judging.  The final portion is six team exercises, where each team works to solve different scenarios involving live animals/concepts.  These sessions help youth learn problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork. Iris Adams, Gwen Riedl, Aiden Patterson, and Leah Patterson were team members.  Wisconsin placed 7^th in Identification, 5^th in Evaluation, and 1^st in Quality Assurance. Iris Adams was 1^st, Leah Patterson was 3^rd, Aiden Patterson was 5^th, and Gwen Riedl was 6^th in Quality Assurance.  Overall, Iris Adams was 5^th, Leah Patterson was 9^th, Gwen Riedl was 11^th, and Aiden Patterson was 21^st. Dennis Patterson coached both teams. 

Both contests focused on questions covering the beef, sheep, swine, and meat goat project areas. Significant topics include genetics, reproduction, meats, nutrition, animal health, and many other animal topics. 

Wisconsin has been the Reserve National Champion in the Livestock Quiz Bowl four times and has won one National Championship. The National Livestock Skillathon contest (Louisville, KY) has seen similar success, bringing home two National Championships and five Reserve Championships. Thus, the state of Wisconsin has grown a lovely tradition in youth livestock educational events.  Grant County earned the right to compete at these national contests by winning the senior division at the 2024 WI 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl and Skillathon event.  Make plans to participate in the 2025 State Contest at UW-Madison on Saturday, March 15.  You can find more information about the Livestock Quiz Bowl and Skillathon contests and other youth livestock educational events at https://4h.extension.wisc.edu/opportunities/statewide-events-and-opportunities/livestock-quiz-bowl-skillathon-contest/