Oliver, McKenzie County Teams Win 4-H Range Judging Contest

The Oliver County 4-H range judging team placed first in the senior division of the North Dakota 4-H and FFA range judging contest at Center.

Team members are Breanna Hosman, Hebron; Olivia Klein, Max, and Reanna Schmidt, Katie Frank, Breanna Vosberg and Rylee Hintz, Center. Hosman received the Head of the Herd Award as the top-scoring individual in the 4-H division. The Oliver County team is coached by Rick Schmidt.

The team will represent North Dakota at the National Invitational 4-H Range Judging Contest in Oklahoma in the spring of 2021.

The McKenzie County team placed second. Team members are Colter Roffler, Grassy Butte, Paige Delaney, Alexander, and Sylvia Boekelman and Ryan Pingel, Watford City. Coaches are Morgan Wisness and Devan Leo.

McKenzie County's team placed first in the junior division of the state contest. Team members are Wyatt Boekelman, Corban Sorenson and Sari Sorenson, Watford City, and Luke Smith, Arnegard. Boekelman garnered the top individual score in the junior division. Coaches are Wisness and Leo.

The Foster County team placed second in the junior division. Team members are Cyrena Kuss and Brekka Kuss, Woodworth, Kelsey Johnson, Kensal, Ashley Lindberg, Pingree, and Kadence Spickler and Trace Spickler, Glenfield. Joel Lemer, Missy Hansen and Jeff Gale coached the team.

The third-place junior division team of Rachel Schmidt, Reagan Schmidt, Kelan Hintz, Alexis Gordan and Avrey Reinke, Center, represented Oliver County.

The range judging contest consists of three ecological sites and two range plant identification sites. Participants evaluate the soil type, slope and plant content of each site, along with the current condition of the range, and make recommendations on range management practices.

Each plant identification site consists of 15 plants. The participants identify the plant and indicate various traits for each plant.

The range judging contest also includes a team problem related to a range situation. Teams work together to calculate the appropriate stocking rate and management practices.

Kevin Sedivec, NDSU Extension rangeland management specialist, officiated the contest.

The range judging contest is conducted with support from the North Dakota 4-H Foundation and Society of Range Management.

The event was held on the Nathan Henke farm, and was supported and hosted by the Center Community Club, Oliver County Park Board, Fair Board, County Commission, Soil Conservation District, Farmers Union, Legendary Meats, Security First Bank, Center-Stanton School, Center FFA and NDSU Extension's Oliver County office.