Members of the Greenwood County Sweepstakes Team traveled to Louisville, Ky. to compete at the North American International Livestock Exposition in the National 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl Contest and the National 4-H Live-stock Skillathon Contest. Both Teams earned the honor to represent Kansas in the National Contests after winning both contests at the state level back in August.
The Livestock Quiz Bowl Team was named the 2023 Reserve National Champion Team. Team members include Lyle Perrier, Hannah Perrier, Caylin Luthi, Brooke Gaines and Addison Westerman. The contest was a double elimination tournament with Kansas needing to play eight matches to complete the day. The first match was against Pennsylvania with a winning score of 200 to 20. Next up was Arkansas and the Kansas team won the match 135 to 70. A tough Iowa team beat the Kansas Team in a close match of 35 to 55. This sent the Kansas Team to the bottom bracket to work their way back up. Next up was the team from North Carolina and Kansas won the match 75 to 50. The team then took on Tennessee and came out on top 135 to 40. Next up was again the tough Iowa team. This time, Kansas won the match 80 to 50. In order to win the championship, the Kansas Team would need to beat Illinois twice. In the first Championship match, Kansas was able to outscore Illinois 125 to 95. This sent the Championship match into a must win situation. The Kansas Team battled, but was not able to overcome a slow start and ended the match with a score of 30 Kansas; 70 Illinois.
L. Perrier was named the Overall High Individual of the Livestock Quiz Bowl Contest by answering the most correct questions of all the contestants with a score of 280 points.
The Livestock Skillathon Team of Gaines, L. Perrier, Cody Johnson and Lu-thi were fifth Overall as a Team. L. Perrier was also named the Overall High Individual in the Livestock Skillathon. Gaines was ninth high overall making both L. Perrier and Gaines members of the All-American Team for Livestock Skillathon.
Livestock Skillathon Team Division results were: fifth high in Identification, fourth high in Evaluation, seventh high in Quality Assurance and Quiz.
Individual Division results were: L. Perrier, second in Evaluation, first in Quality Assurance and Quiz.
For many states, including the state of Kansas, it is not unusual for the same participants to compete in more than one National Contest in the same year; but it is history when the same individual wins the overall individual in more than one of these national contests in the same year. L. Perrier’s accomplishment is the first time in history since the Livestock Quiz Bowl started in 2007 as part of the National 4-H Contests that the same individual has won overall high individual in both of these contests in the same year. Of course, this was only possible because the Greenwood County Team won both the Quiz Bowl and Skillathon at the state level. L. Perrier is a team player and has always put the team first, making history at the national contest was not on his agenda, but doing his absolute best for the Greenwood County Team was; along with all of his teammates.
Next up for the Greenwood County Team is a trip to the Western National Contest at Denver, Colo., in January of 2024 to represent Kansas in the Meat Judging Contest.
L. Perrier is a senior at Eureka Junior/Senior High School (EJSHS). He is the son of Matt and Amy Perrier of Eureka.
Gaines is a senior at Madison High School. She is the daughter of Ty and Kim Gaines of Madison.
Luthi is a sophomore at Madison high School. She is the daughter of Dallas and Sarah Luthi of Madison.
Johnson is a junior at EJSHS. He is the son of Alan and Michelle Johnson of Eureka.
H. Perrier is a sophomore at EJSHS. She is the daughter of Matt and Amy Perrier of Eureka.
Westerman is a sophomore at EJSHS. She is the daughter of Luke and Mindy Westerman of Eureka.
The team is coached by Jeana Beeman and Carla Davis.
(Courtesy photos)
