The Nebraska 4‑H Stampede was held April 25 & 26 at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln East Campus. Many youth from across the state competed in contests, including photography, art, demonstration, public speaking, horse judging, hippology and horse quiz bowl.
Complete results are at https://4h.unl.edu/horse-stampede. Here are the Lancaster County top and purple ribbon winners:
• Horse Judging Senior Division Team: ‘The Cowboy Academy’ Team — Lena Barnes, Lyra Krutak, Devin Merchant, Lucinda Wacker (champion)
• Horse Judging Senior Division Individual: Kathryn Weaver, Hannah Chevalier
• Horse Judging Junior Division Team:‘Lancaster-Saline’ Team — Lena Gropp, Aurora Norris (4th place, blue)
• Hippology Junior Division: ‘Horsin’ Around’ Team — Gwendolyn Friesen and Mary Kerstin Friesen (6th place) and ‘The Gut Logic Duo’ Team — Corrine Byrne and Gracen Byrne (7th place)
• Public Speaking Contest Senior Division: Xavyer Bourek (reserve champion), Hannah Chevalier, Katy Weaver
• Demonstration Contest Senior Individual Division: Hannah Chevalier (champion, blue)
• Art Contest 2D Senior Division: Avery Stohs (champion), Shea Frink
• Art Contest 2D Junior Division: Mary Kerstin Friesen (champion and reserve champion, two entries), MacKenzie McCoy
• Art Contest 2D Elementary Division: Layne McCoy (champion)
• Art Contest 3D Senior Division: Shea Frink (reserve champion)
• Art Contest 3D Junior Division: Gracen Byrne
• Photography Contest Senior Division: Reagan Dinger (champion), Aleese Jurgens, Avery Stohs (reserve champion)
• Photography Contest Junior Division: Brooklyn Freier (champion), Gracie Mittan-DeBuhr (reserve champion)
• Photography Contest Elementary Division: Aurora Norris (reserve champion)
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Photo captions:
• (Upper left) Horse Judging Senior Team (L–R) Devin Merchant, Lyra Krutak, Lucinda Wacker and Lena Barnes earned Champion and will represent Nebraska at the 4-H & FFA Western National Roundup in Colorado next January.
• (Upper right) Reagan Dinger earned Champion in the Photography Contest Senior Division with a close-up of her horse.
• (Lower right) Mary Kerstin Friesen’s Champion Art Contest 2D Junior artwork titled “Stable Harmony.”
• (Lower left) Stampede contestants (L–R) Corrine Byrne, Aurora Norris and Gracen Byrne preparing for their next contests.