Chambana Sun

The 25th Illinois State Fair Master Showmanship Contest was held on August 8 in Springfield, Illinois. The event brought together 4-H members aged 14 to 18 from across the state who had qualified by winning their county-level competitions. Organized in partnership with the Illinois Farm Bureau, the contest tested participants' abilities to show beef cattle, sheep, and swine.

Shelby Carlson, co-interim 4-H Animal Systems Specialist, commented on the contest: “Watching these members in the ring never ceases to amaze me. Participants represent their local county 4-H program with skill, passion, and perseverance. These are traits that will serve these young people well as they advance beyond their 4-H career.”

Contestants were judged on both their animal handling skills and knowledge of each species. Carlson added, “It’s incredibly rare that you have a member who shows all three featured species on a regular basis. Most members are comfortable with one, maybe two of these species. For members to compete on this level with an unfamiliar animal demonstrates that these young people are truly masters of the animal science project area.”

The overall Grand Champion was Hunter Shike from Champaign County. Cole Kinsella from Stark County took Reserve Grand Champion, followed by Laikyn Parchert of Rock Island County in third place. Nolan Hoge from McDonough County placed fourth overall and Carly Powell from Knox County finished fifth.

In specific divisions:

- Sheep Division: Kashen Ellerbrock (Henry County) won champion; Cade Beckmeier (Christian County) was reserve champion; Hunter Shike (Champaign County) took third.

- Swine Division: Hunter Shike (Champaign County) claimed champion; Alaina Diel (Richland County) earned reserve; Aubrey Killey (Warren County) finished third.

- Beef Division: Ellie Drach (Livingston County) was named champion; Nolan Hoge (McDonough County), reserve; Carly Powell (Knox County), third.

The Master Showmanship Contest is part of Illinois 4-H's broader mission to prepare youth for future careers and responsibilities by building skills such as adaptability and hard work through hands-on activities involving animal care and presentation.

Illinois 4-H operates as the main youth development initiative of University of Illinois Extension under the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. The program focuses on experiential learning across a variety of fields including agriculture and technology. Research indicates that participants in programs like Illinois 4-H are more likely to pursue higher education or technical training compared to non-participants.

For more information about Illinois 4-H or this event, Shelby Carlson can be contacted at srcarls2@illinois.edu.

Photo credit goes to Catrina Rawson from the Illinois Farm Bureau.