Posted: July 1, 2026
Recently, youth from across Pennsylvania took part in the annual 4-H Animal Judging Contests Day at Penn State's University Park campus. The event tasked participants aged 10-18 with demonstrating their ability to evaluate animals of various species. Judging competitions included dairy cattle, horses, poultry, and livestock, such as swine, sheep, and beef cattle.
Lukas Verbos, Grace Hammer and William Hammer, of Dauphin County
4-H members learn to evaluate animals by identifying key qualities and ranking them accordingly. They also learn to justify their placings to contest officials by preparing and delivering explanations known as "oral reasons." Preparing and delivering oral reasons helps youth develop public speaking skills and practice critical thinking under pressure, according to Kirsten Dubbs, Penn State Extension 4-H animal science program specialist.
Junior participants are between 10 and 13 years old, while senior competitors are between 14 and 18 years old.
Below are the results for each contest:
Dairy Judging:
- First place to the senior team of Wyatt Lehner, Alexis Servin and Connor Servin, of Berks County.
- First place to senior individual Georgia Sellers, of Lebanon County.
- First place to the junior team of Peter Eberly, Hank Sellers, Seth Peiffer and Evelyn Maulfair, of Lebanon County. Eberly also won the junior individual category.
Horse Judging:
- First place to the senior team of Cali Shaffer, Gradie Shaffer, Hannah Weikel and Becca Willis, of Snyder County.
- First place to senior individual Gradie Shaffer, of Snyder County.
- First place to the junior team of Piper Appel, Saige Turnbull, Sophia Wilson and April Mearkle, of Bedford County. Appel also won the junior individual category.
- First place to the beginner team of Lacey King, Addylyn Luke, Kylee Patterson and Sadie Scott, of Cambria County.
- First place to beginner individual Callie Nicodemus, of Bedford County.
Livestock Judging:
- First place to the senior team of Katherine Coopey, Taylor Wrye, Janice Gilliland and Harper Waite, of Centre County. Gilliland also won the senior individual category.
- First place to the junior team of Elliot Bard, Russell Bard, Sawyer Werner and Eliza Werner, of Huntingdon County.
- First place to junior individual Cole Kuhn, of Crawford County.
Poultry Judging:
- First place to the senior team of Lukas Verbos, Grace Hammer and William Hammer, of Dauphin County. Grace Hammer also won the senior individual category.
- First place to junior individual Matthew Hammer.
Many of these contests offer senior participants the chance to qualify for various national competitions.
Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a nonformal educational youth-development program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that helps young people develop knowledge and skills to become capable, caring and contributing citizens.
To find your local program, visit the Pennsylvania 4-H website.
