Celebrating Excellence: Area 4-H Youth Shine at Show of Champions

4-H members from across Bond, Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington counties recently showcased their outstanding project work at the annual 4-H Show of Champions. This end-of-season event brings together youth exhibitors who earned top honors at their local county 4-H shows, including class champions, special award recipients, and first-place winners. The Show of Champions recognizes excellence, dedication, and achievement across a wide variety of 4-H project areas while providing participants an opportunity to exhibit their work alongside some of the region’s best 4-H members. The following results highlight the accomplishments of this year’s exhibitors.

General Projects Show of Champions Results 

Healthy Living 

• Grand Champion – Charley Schaeffer
• Reserve – Oliver Holt

Clothing & Textiles

• Grand Champion - Addison Hogan
• Reserve - Grace Bolin

Creative Arts & Civic Engagement

• Grand Champion – Addison Hogan
• Reserve – Charley Schaeffer

Photography 

• Grand Champion - Reagan Maurer
• Reserve - Jacob d’Entremont

STEM

• Grand Champion - Stephen Vahlkamp
• Reserve - James Lawler

Food Systems

• Grand Champion – Teagan Cowger

Environmental Science 

• Grand Champion – Reagan Maurer
• Reserve – Henry Vahlkamp

Animal Science

• Grand Champion – Charley Schaeffer
• Reserve – Sophia Vahlkamp

Visual Arts 1

• Grand Champion – Henry Vahlkamp
• Grand Champion – Reagan Maurer
• Reserve – Stephen Vahlkamp

Visual Arts 2

• Grand Champion - Mackenzie Hornbostel
• Grand Champion – Sierra Mellott
• Reserve – Henry Vahlkamp

Livestock Show of Champions Results 

Swine 

Breeding Gilt 

• Grand Champion - Denton Nattier
• Reserve - Hallie Borcherding 

Market Gilt

• Grand Champion - Rebecca Hanes
• Reserve – Carson Moore 

Market Barrow

• Grand Champion - Denton Nattier 
• Reserve - Alivia Harvey 

Swine Senior Showmanship 

• Champion – Hallie Borcherding
• Reserve – Alivia Harvey

Intermediate

•  Champion – Madelyn Catalfamo
• Reserve – Rebecca Hanes 

Junior 

•  Champion – Toby Harvey 

• Reserve – Carson Moore 

Goat 

Buck 

• Grand Champion – Morgan Rose 

Dairy Doe 

• Grand Champion - Adalynn Rose 

• Reserve - Mallory Starwalt 

Meat Doe 

• Grand Champion – Paisley Meyer

• Reserve - Cooper Degenhart 

Pygmy Doe 

• Grand Champion – Savanna Mellott 

• Reserve – Savanna Mellott 

Market Doe 

• Grand Champion – Gracelyn Clinton 

• Reserve- Paisley Meyer 

Market Wether

• Grand Champion - Cooper Degenhart
• Reserve – Titan Clark 

Senior Showmanship 

• Champion – Mallory Starwalt
• Reserve – Mackenzie Hornbostel

Intermediate Showmanship 

• Champion – Adalynn Rose 
• Reserve- Paisley Meyer

Junior Showmanship 

• Champion – Morgan Rose 
• Reserve- Gracelyn Clinton 

Sheep 

Ram 

• Grand Champion – Averi Braddy
• Reserve- Mackenzie Hornbostel 

Ewe

• Grand Champion – Hallie Borcherding 
• Reserve – Averi Braddy

Senior Showmanship 

• Champion – Mackenzie Hornbostel 
• Reserve- Hallie Borcherding 

Intermediate

• Champion – Averi Braddy 
• Reserve – Easton Braddy 

Beef 

Bull Calf 

• Grand Champion – Walker Crank 
• Reserve – Marshall Timmerman 

Breeding Female 

• Grand Champion – Jack Barry 
• Reserve – Ava Tolley 

Market Heifer Results

• Grand Champion – Ryegan Warren
• Reserve – Jayda Neilson 

Market Steer 

• Grand Champion - Ryegan Warren
• Reserve – Walker Crank 

Senior Showmanship 

• Champion – Walker Crank
• Reserve – Ryegan Warren 

Intermediate Showmanship 

• Champion Jack Barry 
• Reserve Levi Vandeveer

Junior Showmanship 

• Champion - Morgan Barry 
• Reserve – David Franke

Rabbits 

• Champion Buck Baylie Purcell 
• Champion Fryer Grace Bolin 

Senior Showmanship

• Champion Elizabeth Shands 
• Reserve Madeline Dempsey 

Intermediate Showmanship

• Baylie Purcell 

Junior Showmanship

• Grace Bolin 

Poultry 

Grand Champion Standard 

• Titan Clark 

Grand Champion Bantam 

• Colt Richardson 

Grand Champion Misc. Breed 

• Libby Shands 

Grand Champion Eggs 

• Charley Schaefer

Grand Champion Market Pen

Nora Richardson 

Senior Showmanship

• Champion Libby Shands 

Intermediate Showmanship

• Champion Morgan Hornbostel 

Junior Showmanship

• Champion Nora Richardson

As a new 4-H year begins, local 4-H clubs throughout Bond, Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, Washington, and neighboring counties are welcoming new and returning members and volunteers. 4-H offers youth opportunities to learn leadership, citizenship, and life skills through hands-on projects, community service, and educational experiences. Families interested in joining a local 4-H club or learning more about 4-H opportunities in their area are encouraged to contact their local University of Illinois Extension office for enrollment information, club locations, and upcoming activities https://extension.illinois.edu/bcjmw.