Knox County takes home honors in State 4-H Livestock judging contest

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The Knox County 4-H Livestock Judging team won the overall junior division contest in Champaign last week.

The team of Annika Spring, Katelyn Engel, Tyler West and Andy Bates took home the honor with Bates placing fourth in the individual contest.

Spring tells Galesburg’s Midday on WGIL the heat at the University of Illinois contest made for a challenge.

“I know it was very difficult to stay focused,” she says. “Throughout our team, we knew that if we didn’t stay focused, we’d be disappointed in the results, come time for results. We wanted to make our coaches proud and just have that success like we’ve had previously.”

The Knox County team’s coach says the area brings the competition.

“When you really look at the amount of talent here in the western side of the state, with the Blackhawk East program, the Illinois Central College program and the Western Illinois, we’re real fortunate in this part of the area to a tremendous amount of livestock, a lot of people who care for livestock and that’s part of the reason why this part of the state is as competitive as it is every year,” Coach Bill Hennenfent says.

In the younger junior team division, Knox County’s team of Hayden Beard, Dylan West, Ethan Emken and Kyle Engel took third.

In the senior division, Blake Hennenfent took seventh place in the individual competition making him eligible for tryouts on the Illinois State team.

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