The Benton County 4-H Senior Livestock Judging Team of Caleigh Lewis, Makenna Burmeister, Jillian Hanson, and Rylee Short earned championship honors at the 2026 Iowa 4-H Senior Livestock Judging contest.
Benton County 4-Hers also won the 2026 State 4-H Livestock Skillathon and Quiz Bowl contests. Team members are Ben Rosauer, Caleigh Lewis, Jillian Hanson, and Samantha Zahradnik.
(Ames, Iowa) – The Benton County 4-H Livestock Skills interest group turned in a historic performance at the 2026 Iowa 4-H Livestock Triathlon in Ames. Held on the campus of Iowa State University, the Triathlon was a two-day event featuring competitions in Livestock Quiz Bowl, Skillathon, and Judging.
Senior teams from Benton County won State Champion honors in all three contests. The senior Livestock Judging Team of Makenna Burmeister, Jillian Hanson, Caleigh Lewis, and Rylee Short placed first in Livestock Judging and will represent Iowa at the national 4-H contest at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Ky. in November.
Jillian Hanson was High Individual in the 2026 Iowa 4-H Senior Livestock Judging contest, High Individual in Oral Reasons, 2nd place individual in the 2026 Iowa 4-H Senior Livestock Quiz Bowl contest, and Champion overall in the 2026 Iowa 4-H Livestock Triathlon.
Benton County 4-Hers participating in the 2026 Iowa 4-H Livestock Skillathon and Quiz Bowl were (left to right): Rear – Madeline Olson, Samantha Zahradnik, Caleigh Lewis, Parker Priebe, Ben Rosauer. Middle – Lauren Hartkemeyer, Miles Smith, Alizabeth Rich. Front – Parker Stein, Landen Stein, William Geiger, Bailey Clark.
On that team, Jillian Hanson was High Individual of the contest, and Caleigh Lewis was 5th-place individual. Jillian Hanson also placed first in oral reasons, Rylee Short placed 8th, and the team was 2nd-place in oral reasons.
The Benton County Senior Livestock Skillathon and Quiz Bowl teams also earned first place in both events. Team members are Jillian Hanson, Caleigh Lewis, Ben Rosauer, and Samantha Zahradnik. Individually, Caleigh Lewis placed 2nd in Skillathon, while Jillian Hanson placed 3rd in Skillathon and 2nd in Quiz Bowl. They also will represent Iowa 4-H at the NAILE in Louisville.
In the Triathlon results, which combines individual competitors’ scores for all three competitions, Jillian Hanson was Champion Senior Individual overall.
Benton County’s Junior Skillathon team of Alizabeth Rich, Miles Smith, and Landen Stein placed 5th overall. Alizabeth Rich was 5th-place Junior Individual. The county’s Junior Livestock Judging team of Asher Short, Miles Smith, and Landen Stein also placed 5th overall.
Benton County 4-Hers participating in the 2026 Iowa 4-H Livestock Skillathon and Quiz Bowl were (left to right): Rear – Brailey Lewis, Madeline Olson, Reagan Burmeister, Caleigh Lewis, Rylee Short, Makenna Burmeister. Middle – Kolten Lewis, Samantha Zahradnik, Parker Priebe, William Geiger, Parker Stein. Front – Lauren Hartkemeyer, Asher Short, Laden Stein, Miles Smith.
Other Benton County 4-Hers participating in the contests were Reagan Burmeister, Bailey Clark, William Geiger, Lauren Hartkemeyer, Brailey Lewis, Kolten Lewis, Madeline Olson, Parker Priebe, Parker Stein.
The Benton County 4-H Livestock Judging Team is coached by Mitchell Hanson and A.J. Lewis. The Skillathon and Quiz Bowl Teams are coached by Maureen Hanson.
In this history of the three contests, a single county has won all three contests in the same year only one other time. That accomplishment was achieved in 2022, also by Benton County teams.
Jim Magdefrau 