MANHATTAN — The Southwind Extension District 4-H members showcased their talent at the 2025 Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes, held Aug. 23-24 at Kansas State University in Manhattan. Southwind teams placed in the top five of every contest, winning two of the four events and ultimately claiming the title of 2025 State 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes Champions.
The participants representing the Southwind Extension District were Hailey Shadden, Makinlee Bloesser, Marley Sutton, Kendyl Bloesser, Emery Yoho, Alexa Ellis, Jewel Endicott, Kyser Nemecek, Reegan McDaniel, and Klara Stock. These 4-H members, hailing from Allen, Bourbon, and Woodson counties, demonstrated exceptional knowledge and livestock skills throughout the competition.
THE SWEEPSTAKES event consisted of four contests, with scores blended to determine the overall sweepstakes winners. The Southwind team emerged victorious in two contests: Meats Judging and Livestock Quiz Bowl.
Top individual sweepstakes winners were Hailey Shadden, Reserve Individual Overall; Jewel Endicott, fifth place; Klara Stock, seventh place; Kendyl Bloesser, eighth place; Marley Sutton 13th place; and Makinlee Bloesser, 14th place.
The Southwind teams excelled in the Livestock Quiz Bowl, which began with 17 teams taking the qualifying exam. Southwind No. 1 (Nemecek, McDaniel, Yoho, Shadden) won three matches to claim the title of Champion Overall Quiz Bowl Team. Southwind No. 2 (Sutton, M. Bloesser, Ellis, K. Bloesser) also performed admirably, finishing as the sixth best team.
IN THE LIVESTOCK Judging contest, Southwind No. 1 (Shadden, K. Bloesser, Ellis, Stock) had an outstanding day, earning fifth place wins in Cattle, Hogs, and Reasons; sixth place in Sheep; and being named fourth High Team Overall. There were 38 teams from across the state and 193 individuals in the contest. Individual highlights included Hailey Shadden taking sixth place in Cattle.
Southwind No. 1 (Sutton, Shadden, K. Bloesser, Stock) was named the Champion Meats Judging Team, with a standout performance by winning Retail Identification, and also earning fifth in Placings and third place in Reasons. Sixty-nine Senior Individuals and 15 teams competed in the contest.
Southwind No. 2 (M. Bloesser, Ellis, Endicott) earned eighth place in Placings; ninth place in Reasons; seventh place in both Retail ID and Team Overall. Individual accomplishments for the Southwind squad included:
• Makinlee Bloeser — 10th Individual Overall; fifth place in Placings; seventh place in Retail ID
• Hailey Shadden — second place High Individual Overall; fourth place in Retail ID; eighth place in Reasons
• Marley Sutton — ninth place Individual Overall; third place in Retail ID
• Kendyl Bloesser — fifth place Individual Overall; second place in Retail ID
• Klara Stock — fourth place Individual Overall; fourth place in Reasons; 10th place in Retail ID
• Jewel Endicott — sixth place in Retail ID; 10th place in Placings
IN THE LIVESTOCK Skillathon, 4-H members rotated individually through stations that addressed six areas of animal science. Those included feedstuffs, breed identification, equipment identification, meat identification, wool evaluation and a written test. There was also a team component where members worked together on evaluating quality assurance protocols, and demonstrating proper cattle breeding techniques. Out of 27 teams and 149 individuals, Southwind No. 1 (Shadden, Ellis, Endicott, K. Bloesser) worked together to be named the third Team Overall.
Individual Skillathon results included: Jewel Endicott, second place in Exam, sixth place in Practicum, and fourth place Overall Individual; and Hailey Shadden, seventh place in Exam, ninth place in Practicum, and eighth place Overall Individual.
