Waseca County 4-H Minnesota State Fair winners

Minnesota 4-H'ers from 87 counties arrived with over 2,671 animals at the 2025 “Great Minnesota Get-Together” for this year’s 4-H livestock encampment, which was held Wednesday, Aug. 20 through Sunday, Aug. 24. 

 

Minnesota 4-H’ers have been preparing for this event all summer long. Members consider several components when deciding to exhibit livestock, including selection and preparation of the animal; educational programming; scholarship applications; and participation at county fairs. Results from the Minnesota 4-H State Fair Livestock Shows include: 

 

Beef  

● Brielle Gunsolus - Commercial Junior Yearling - 2nd place, purple ribbon; Beef showmanship participant ● Paige Gunsolus - Registered Junior Yearling - 2nd place, purple ribbon; Beef showmanship participant ● Hailey Levos - Registered Junior Yearling - 3rd place; Beef showmanship participant ● Jax Gereau-Mulcahey - Registered Fall Calf - 1st place, purple ribbon; Beef showmanship participant ● Paige Johnson - Registered Junior Yearling - 2nd place, Beef showmanship participant ● Violet Jewison - Registered Spring Calf - 2nd place, Beef showmanship participant ● Addison Kelm - Registered Junior Yearling - 6th place, Beef showmanship participant ● Mackenzie Levos - Slick-Shorn Steer - 3rd place, Beef showmanship participant ● Peyton Sommers - Market Heifer - 3rd place, Beef showmanship participant ● Olivia Johnson - Registered Maine Anjou Steer - 9th place, Beef showmanship participant Dairy ● Claire Bartelt - Registered Winter Calf - 5th place, Blue Ribbon ● Charley Kietzman - Jersey Junior Yearling - 1st place, Purple Ribbon 

 

Dairy Goat 

● Rylie Cromwell - Lamancha Milking Doe Three or Four Years old - 1st place, Best in Show Senior Doe, Champion LaMancha Senior Doe; Dairy Goat Showmanship Intermediate purple ribbon, Reserve Champion Intermediate Showmanship 2 ● Alexis Myers - Lamancha Milking Doe Five years and older - 2nd Place; Reserve Champion Dairy Goat Showmanship Advanced ● Jacob Klaras - Nigerian Dwarf Senior Doe Kid - 2nd place, Reserve Champion Nigerian Dwarf Junior Doe; Dairy Goat Showmanship Senior purple ribbon ● Memphis Schlaak - Nigerian Dwarf Senior Doe Kid - 4th place; Dairy Goat Showmanship Senior blue ribbon ● Kenley Gehrke - Nigerian Dwarf Dry Yearling Doe - 3rd place; Dairy Goat Showmanship Senior purple ribbon 

 

Meat Goat 

● Adler Bethke - Dairy Market Wether - 2nd place, Reserve Champion Lightweight Dairy Market Wether; Dairy Wether showmanship participant ● Ty Krautkremer - Meat Market Doe 1st place - purple ribbon, Reserve Champion Heavyweight Market Doe, Reserve Champion Overall Market Doe; Market Goat and Wether Dam showmanship participant ● Sam Feldkamp - Junior Yearling Meat Breeding Doe - 2nd place purple ribbon; Meat Breeding Doe showmanship participant ● Olivia Eaton - Senior Yearling Meat Breeding Doe - green ribbon; Meat Breeding Doe showmanship participant 

 

Rabbit 

● August Bethke - Dutch Senior Doe - blue ribbon, Showmanship Finalist blue ribbon ● Luke Feldkamp - Flemish Giant Senior Doe - blue ribbon, Showmanship Finalist blue ribbon ● Isabel Berg - Holland Lop Senior Buck - blue ribbon ● Audrey Gray - Holland Lop Senior Buck - blue ribbon ● Kaden Peirce - Mini Rex Senior Buck - red ribbon ● Brody Gray - Small Breed Purebreds Senior Buck - blue ribbon 

 

Sheep 

● Avary Hopper - Registered Yearling Ewe - 5th place; Lamb Lead Senior - green ribbon; Breeding Ewe Showmanship participant ● Cole Gartner - Market Lamb Black Face - 6th place ● Kelton Peirce - Market Lamb Black Face - 8th place ● Hannah Sommers - Market Lamb Black Face - 2nd place purple ribbon ● Karley Hamilton - Market Lamb White Face - 2nd place purple ribbon, Reserve Champion White Face Market Lamb ● Landen Haefs - Wether Dam White and Speckle Face Ewe Lamb - 7th place ● Avary Hopper - Breeding Ewe Showmanship Senior, green ribbon 

 

Swine 

● Jacob Knutson - Duroc Registered February Gilt - 3rd place ● Hadley Roeker - Crossbred Breeding Gilt - 2nd place; 3rd place Gilt Showperson Intermediate Division ● Jaiden Johnson - Market Barrow Berkshire Registered - 6th place ● Kayla Knutson - Market Barrow Crossbred - 9th place ● Owen Schlaak - Market Barrow Crossbred - 7th place ● Oriana Jewison - Market Gilt - 6th place ● Mikayla Lewer - Market Gilt - 5th place ● Jacob Lewer - Market Gilt - 9th place ● Aiden Merritt - Market Gilt - 2nd place ● Aaron Merritt - Market Gilt - 5th place 

 

Education is integral in the “learn by doing” philosophy of 4-H. As part of the educational component, Minnesota 4-H requires every youth participating in the livestock encampment to participate in a livestock interview. Examples of the interview process include an online knowledge test, skill-a-thons, and personal interviews about their project area. Youth from Waseca County who were recognized for their knowledge with interview callbacks included: 

 

● Beef - Olivia Johnson ● Dairy Goat - Alexis Myers, Jacob Klaras (Interview Champion) ● Rabbit - August Bethke, Luke Feldkamp ● Sheep - Karley Hamilton ● Swine - Jaiden Johnson, Mikayla Lewer, Oriana Jewison 

 

Along with interviews, all 4-H youth participating in livestock programming are required to complete the Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics (LQA&E) Training. Through this certification, youth are educated on biosecurity, educating the public on the role of livestock, and caring for their animal’s welfare.  

 

Quality animals, quality kids, and quality buyers made the 46th 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction, the annual parade of champion beef, lambs, goats, swine and poultry set 8 new record prices. This year the 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction went over $1,300,000 in additional premium dollars from 115 head for Minnesota 4-H youth and Animal Science programs. A huge thank you for all of the sponsors throughout the whole state in support of the exhibitors.  The Minnesota 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction is sponsored by the Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association each year. Ty Krautkremer of the Homegrown Explorers 4-H Club with his Reserve Champion Market Doe was selected to participate in the 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction. Additionally, Hannah Sommers of the Riverside Ramblers 4-H Club with her purple ribbon market lamb was also selected to participate in the 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction. 4-H not only produces purple ribbon animals, but more importantly is focused on producing purple ribbon kids. 

 

4-H youth from across Minnesota again showcased their learning in the 4-H Building at the Minnesota State Fair. Over 160 demonstrations were delivered and over 1,900 general exhibits were on display. In a continuation of the virtual state showcase format developed in 2020, over 110 of the general exhibits were judged virtually this year. 

 

Throughout the year, 4-H youth select project areas that reflect personal areas of interest and pursue hands-on learning in both self-directed and guided environments. The results of their learning are exhibited at county fairs and other showcase events across the state. A collection of the best exhibits from each fair and showcase are brought to presentations in the 4-H Building at the Minnesota State Fair. 

 

Exhibiting project work and delivering public presentations at the state fair provides youth an opportunity to showcase their achievements and continue learning through interactive conference judging with project experts and team experiences.  

 

4-H members who participated in Public Presentation contests during the state fair included: 

 

● August Bethke - Livestock Demonstration: “How to Handle a Rabbit” - blue ribbon ● Rylie Cromwell - Livestock Demonstration: “Review of the ADGA Scorecard, Parts of the Goat” - red ribbon ● Audrey Gray - Livestock Demonstration: “How to show a Holland Lop Rabbit” - blue ribbon ● Brody Gray - Livestock Demonstration: “How to show a Himalayan Rabbit” - blue ribbon ● Jacob Klaras - Livestock Demonstration: “How to and Why you Band a Dairy Wether” - red ribbon 

 

The presentations, exhibits and presence of 4-H youth from diverse communities across Minnesota brought renewed and welcomed energy to the 4-H Building.  Waseca County had youth participating in exhibit judging in the following areas:

 

  ● Audrey Gray - Clothing and Textiles - Constructed Clothing - Blue ribbon; Fashion Revue - Participation ribbon ● Isabel Berg - Clothing and Textiles - Upcycled Clothing - Red ribbon; Fashion Rebue participant ● Waldorf Peppy Peppers 4-H Club - Club Banner - Blue ribbon ● Homegrown Explorers 4-H Club - Club Banner - Purple ribbon ● Kinley Thostenson - Crafts - Blue ribbon ● Gavin Hodgkins - Creative Writing - Blue ribbon ● Foods - Julia Alvarado - Purple ribbon ● Health & Wellness - Kashton Gehrke - Red ribbon ● Natalia Rivera - Home Environment - Blue ribbon ● Alexis Olson - Geology - Purple ribbon ● Rylie Cromwell - Dog - Red ribbon ● Kaeson Gehrke - Self-Determined - Blue ribbon ● Brody Gray - Video - Blue ribbon ● Treysen Tietje - Wildlife Biology - Blue ribbon ● Alexis Myers - Youth Leadership - Blue ribbon 

 

A group of youth, under the direction of volunteer Steve Scheffert, also participated in the 4-H State Fair experience via Arts-In. The members in Arts-In put together a show of song and dance, which they practice and perform at various places during the summer, with the final performances taking place at the State Fair. This year they performed “Music’s Magic” Participants were Willow Bartelt, Addison Anderson, Elaina Berg, Isabel Berg, Audrey Gray, Jaxson Lewer, Jayson Lewer, and Director Steve Scheffert. 

 

Waseca County 4-H youth were chaperoned by adult volunteers Brian Knutson, Jennifer Peirce, and Ryan Gehrke. See the full results and photos at z.umn.edu/4h-state-fair-results.