BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – 4-H members from across the state recently demonstrated their skills during the Illinois 4-H Dog Show, held Aug. 22 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. The show is open to 4-H members who are enrolled in the Dog project and have received a qualifying score at their local 4-H exhibition.
The Illinois State 4-H Dog Show uses the American Kennel Club regulations as a guideline. Participants compete in Obedience, Showmanship, and Rally Obedience categories.
Congratulations to the following 4-H members who were awarded first place in their class or received other special awards:
- Dog Obedience Beginner Novice 1 - Gus Book, Boone County
- Dog Obedience Beginner Novice 2 - Bennett Ogden-Moles, Stephenson County
- Dog Obedience Preferred Novice - Delaney Kuehl, Whiteside County
- Dog Obedience Novice - Reese Connor, McHenry County
- Dog Obedience Graduate Novice - Jacey Smith, Wayne County
- Showmanship Junior - Melody England, Tazewell County
- Showmanship Senior - Lillian Huber, Effingham County
- Rally Novice - Avery Elder, Will County
- Rally Intermediate - Autumn Welter, Grundy County
- Rally Advanced - Dana Penner, McLean County
- Rally Excellent - Rori Hertsberg, Will County
- Deborah Orr Memorial Award - Reese Connor, McHenry County
- Beginner High Point Award - Bennett Ogden-Moles, Stephenson County
- Advanced High Point Award - Jacey Smith, Wayne County
"These 4-H members have spent months or even years working with their dog to reach this level," said Kathy Book, 4-H Youth Development educator and State Dog Show coordinator. "It's exciting to see all their hard work pay off as they demonstrate their skills in the show ring."
In keeping with 4-H's commitment to teaching youth about ethical and humane treatment of animals, all dog/handler teams must have earned the Canine Good Citizen Certification together. All exhibitors must also have completed the Quality Assurance and Ethics Certification and are expected to be familiar with and abide by both the principles of that certification and the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act.
For the 2026 4-H Dog Show, the show participation fee was waived, and contest expenses were covered by the Illinois 4-H Foundation.
Source: Kathy Book, 4-H Youth Development Educator, and Shelby Carlson, 4-H Youth Development Educator
About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension, administered through the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Through hands-on learning and life-changing experiences, Illinois 4-H prepares youth to be Beyond Ready — ready for college, career, military service, entrepreneurship, and more. Young people build confidence, leadership, and resilience as they explore interests from agriculture to computer science. Independent research and national surveys confirm the powerful outcomes of 4-H: participants are 40% more likely to pursue a college degree, twice as likely to obtain technical training, and two times more likely to serve in the military. With a legacy of cultivating leaders, Illinois 4-H continues to grow the next generation who are equipped to thrive in life and work today and beyond.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.