Submitted Photo The Ward County Senior Livestock Judging Team, from left to right, are Danny Kersten, Shelsey Brandvold, Elizabeth Hanson, Amber Braasch and Brexton Ehli.

The Ward County 4-H Livestock Judging team concluded its season with top 10 rankings at the state contest held on March 1 at the new McKenzie County Ag Expo building in Watford City. The event attracted 33 teams and 163 youth.

In Livestock Judging competition, participants are divided into two age groups: Juniors (ages 8 to 13) and Seniors (ages 14 to 18).

The Senior team from Ward County include Amber Braasch and Brexton Ehli, both Minot; Danny Kersten, Max; Shelsey Brandvold, Ryder; and Elizabeth Hanson, Velva.

This year’s contest consisted of three beef classes, one goat class, three sheep classes and three swine classes. Participants presented oral reasons for one beef, one sheep and one swine class, in addition to completing a 10-question test related to one of the classes. The beef classes included Angus bulls, Red Angus heifers and feedlot steers. The goat class featured yearling breeding does. The sheep classes showcased Columbia breeding ewes, Royal White ewe lambs and wether dams. The swine classes comprised breeding gilts, and two classes of market barrows.

Ward County results are as follows:

– Eighth place individual: Brandvold, swine classes

– Eighth place team, Swine classes

– 10t th place team in overall, placings, reasons and sheep classes

Jim Hennessy and Peyton Sundsbak are the team’s coaches.