Showing livestock with 4-H youth as judges at the North Dakota State Fair

PUBLISHED ON August 5, 2024

FARGO, N.D. — On July 27, several state leaders experienced the world of 4-H livestock showmanship as they tried their hand at showing livestock with 4-H youth as judges at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot.

Prior to the North Dakota Public Leaders 4-H Showmanship Event, a leader was paired with a selected 4-H member who exhibited one of the six livestock species at the North Dakota State Fair. The youth provided their leader instruction and advice on how to show a specific species of livestock and then served as the judges for the leaders’ efforts.

“This 4-H event connects today’s leaders with tomorrow’s leaders,” said Kurt Froelich, NDSU Extension agent from Stark-Billings County. “Thank you to our participants and supporters of this event for making this experience possible for the 4-Hers.”

“Our goal for 4-H is to help youth achieve the best in themselves,” said Leigh Ann Skurupey, North Dakota Center for 4-H Youth Development assistant director. “4-H helps youth to develop essential life skills, gain knowledge and build confidence to thrive, lead and change the world. This event is a good example of how 4-H provides opportunities for our youth to thrive.”

“I had the best time learning from my coach Tessa Sigvaldson,” said Chloe Drummond, 4-H Foundation board coordinator and relationship specialist. “Learning that Tessa balances school, work, clubs, her livestock projects and her own business is a great example of how 4-H prepares youth for work and life. I loved seeing 4-H in action!”

The state leaders who took first place in the event were:

• Beef Cattle – John Fjeldahl, Ward County Commissioner, Minot, coached by Bennett Johnson, Mercer County
• Dairy Cattle – Sarah Lovas, Chair, State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, Hillsboro, coached by Brekka Kuss, Stutsman County
• Dairy Goats – Kandi Mikkelson, North Dakota State Fair Board Member, Minot, coached by Devyn Fougner, Griggs County
• Meat Goats – Beth Richardson, Canadian Consul General, Minneapolis, Minnesota, coached by Lilli Steeke, Bowman County
• Sheep – Lynette Flage, NDSU Extension associate director, Fargo, coached by Gustin Ueckert, Golden Valley County
• Swine – Senator Keith Boehm, District 33, Mandan, coached by Cooper Strommen, Morton County

Other state leaders participating and their 4-H coaches were:

• Drew Combs, North Dakota Trade Office executive director, Bismarck, coached by Elizabeth Hanson, Ward County
• S. Congressman Kelly Armstrong, Dickinson, coached by Sydnee Johnson, Mercer County
• Representative Karen Rohr, District 31, Mandan, coached by Jarett Sanders, Oliver County
• Commissioner Sheri Haugen-Hoffart, Public Service Commission, Bismarck, coached by Jacob Sand, Bottineau County
• Mohamed Khan, NDSU Extension assistant director, ANR, Fargo, coached by Marie Sand, Bottineau County
• Woodrow (Chip) Poland, Director of Agriculture and Technical Studies, Dickinson, coached by Eleanor Carlson, McLean County
• Chloe Drummond, 4-H Foundation coordinator, Fargo, coached by Tessa Sigvaldson, Williams County
• Kevin Black, Minot Area Chamber Economic Development Corporation, Minot, coached by Maggie Iverson, Cavalier County
• Representative Paul Thomas, District 6, Velva, coached by Morgan Keen, Ward County
• Senator Kristin Roers, District 27, Fargo, coached by Rudi Wendel, Cass County
• Senator David Hogue, District 38, Minot, coached by Faith Carpenter, Ward County
• Jeff Eslinger, Communications Director, North Dakota Association of Counties, Bismarck, coached by Layla Krinke, Bowman County
• Senator Judy Estenson, District 15, Warwick, coached by Rosie Abraham, Griggs County
• Representative Vicky Steiner, District 37, Dickinson, coached by Tessa Dvorak, Dunn County
• Representative Matthew Ruby, District 40, Minot, coached by Rachel Schmidt, Oliver County
• Twyla Baker, President, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, New Town, coached by Bailey Hokanson, Williams County
• Greg Lardy, Joe and Norma Peltier Vice President for NDSU Agriculture, Fargo, coached by Haley Mcleod, Ranson County
• Senator Jeff Barta, District 43, Grand Forks, coached by Graesen Helgoe, Pembina County

NDSU Extension, the North Dakota 4-H Foundation and the North Dakota State Fair sponsored the event.

— North Dakota State University Extension

Submitted Photo
Eric Thoemke, Minot Food Truck Festival executive director, and Matthew Maldonado, digital media specialist with ND Strong, pose plates of hot dogs for a food eating contest at the 2023 festival in Oak Park.

Oak Park in Minot will be buzzing on Sunday, Aug. 25, at the seventh annual Minot Food Truck Festival.

The festival is hosted by ND Strong, an education nonprofit that funds The Film Dudes program, which provides opportunities for students throughout the state to get hands-on experience making films and creating content.

Throughout the year, The Film Dudes travel across North Dakota and work with schools and other academic institutions in teaching the integration of media production into curriculum, conducting workshops with staff and students and exhibiting film opportunities throughout the state.

Eric Thoemke, the festival director, said 20 trucks will be at the 2024 festival, which also will showcase around 20 local vendors, concerts, free food eating contests, music performances, fire throwers, 15 bounce castles and other free activities, such as mini golf and ax throwing for children and families. A majority of the food trucks are based in North Dakota, but Thoemke said some vendors from previous years have hailed from South Dakota and even Las Vegas.

“It’s a perfect time of the year. The weather is normally perfect. Everyone comes to the park one day and it really feels like a bigger city atmosphere. There’s music playing, tons of variety of food. There’s artists doing artwork on the site, and we’re looking to add so much more this year. We’re pretty excited about it. There’s a lot of community involvement, and I think that’s what makes it most special. It’s an awesome event in the park, and you don’t get too many of those in the summer that are this size,” Thoemke said.

The first food truck festival in 2017 had 13 trucks participating, and Thoemke said the community turnout blew away their expectations.

“We were only expecting 500 people to show up. I think almost all the food trucks sold out the first year. We had over 5,000 people show up. We were running around with our heads cut off,” Thoemke said.

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – A 28-year-old Bismarck man was arrested after a crash in front of the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum on Sunday around 3:15 p.m.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol said he was driving an SUV south on State Street at a high rate of speed, lost control and drove off the road into the west ditch.

The driver and a 34-year-old passenger were not wearing seatbelts but were not injured. A 6-year-old boy in the vehicle was transported to the hospital for minor injuries and authorities said he was not restrained with a seatbelt or child restraint system at the time of the crash.

The driver was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol with a minor present, reckless driving, driving under suspension and child neglect.

The crash remains under investigation.

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