MANHATTAN — Southwind Extension District 4-H teams were named the 2026 State 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes Champions at the Aug. 22-23 event in Manhattan.
The 4-H’ers placed in the top 10 of every contest, with a dominating win in the Meats Judging Contest.
Team members were Hailey Shadden, Makinlee Bloesser, Marley Sutton, Kendyl Bloesser, Alexa Ellis, Jewel Endicott, Klara Stock, Korbyn Allison, Cash Pitts and Hunter Hurt.
THE SWEEPSTAKES event consisted of four contests: Livestock Judging, Meats Judging, Livestock Quiz Bowl and Livestock Skillathon, with each team’s scores averaged to determine the overall winner.
Top individual sweepstakes results are as follows: Hailey Shadden, Reserve Individual Overall (for the second consecutive year); Jewel Endicott, 5th (for the second consecutive year); Marley Sutton, 10th; Klara Stock, 11th; and Kendyl Bloesser 12th.
The Southwind No. 2 team of Endicott, Stock, Pitts, Hurt excelled in the Livestock Quiz Bowl, being named Reserve Champion. Also participating as the No. 1 team were Shadden, Ellis, K. Bloesser, M. Blosser.
IN THE LIVESTOCK Judging contest, Southwind No. 1 (Shadden, K. Bloesser, Ellis, Stock) came in fourth in Cattle, 13th in Sheep, Champion Team in Hogs, Champion Team in Reasons, and placed fifth High Team Overall.
There were 42 teams from across the state and 220 individuals in the contest. Individual highlights include: Hailey Shadden – 5th High Individual Overall, High Individual Cattle; 6th Reasons, and 9th Hogs; Alexa Ellis was 8th in Cattle. Both Hailey and Alexa qualified to try out for the Kansas 4-H Livestock Judging All-Star Team later this fall.
The Meats Judging contest involved identifying 30 retail cuts, six placings classes, and three sets of reasons. Southwind #1 (Endicott, Sutton, Shadden, Stock) was named the Champion Meats Judging Team, with a standout performance by winning Retail Identification, and also earning second place in both Placings and Reasons. There were 75 senior individuals and 13 teams competing in the contest.
Southwind #2 (K. Bloesser, M. Bloesser, Ellis, Pitts) was 8th in Placings, 9th in Reasons, 7th in Retail ID, and 7th Team Overall. Those in the Top 10 were offered the opportunity to try out for the All-Star team later this year. Individual accomplishments for the Southwind squad include:
Jewel Endicott – High Individual Overall, High Individual Placings, 4th Reasons, 3rd Retail ID
Hailey Shadden – 3rd Individual Overall, 8th Placings, 8th Reasons, 8th Retail ID
Kendyl Bloesser – 4th Individual Oveall, 7th Placings, 5th Retail ID
Klara Stock – 7th Individual Overall, 6th Retail ID
Marley Sutton – 9th Individual Overall, 7th Retail ID
Makinlee Bloesser – 10th Placings
