Perry County 4-H members showcased their work and what they have learned and accomplished this past year at the annual Perry County 4-H Fair shows held in July. Champion purple ribbon winners were selected for the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Mo. County 4-H members exhibited a total of more than 715 items and animals at this year’s fair shows. This number includes the exhibits on display inside the Legion Hall on Wednesday July 27, the small animals outside as well as the animals exhibited at the 4-H Fair Animal Show on Saturday, July 16 in Altenburg. The 4-H Fair Horse Show was postponed due to rain and is scheduled for Sunday, August 28 at the Hope Center in Perryville beginning at 3 p.m.. Through the exhibits, 4-H members demonstrate the knowledge, skills and work ethic they have gained for the specific project, or interest area they explored.
Youth exhibited items representing a wide variety of 43 different project “interest” areas. They were judged and then placed on display. Over 1000 4-H supporters, family members, leaders and 4-H’ers participated in the Perry County 4-H Fair and Chicken Dinner. 4-H members served 909 people at the delicious “legion” chicken dinner held during the event as a fundraiser to pay the 4-H Fair expenses and premium money to members. In the past 30 years, this is the 10th highest number of people served at the chicken dinner. 4-H families provided desserts. For over 40 years, the American Legion Post #133 has sponsored this sizable event as a youth project for their organization. ALL proceeds from the Chicken Dinner are paid back to the 4-H members for the ribbons earned at the fair on their project work.
4-H entrepreneurs had an opportunity to market their products, practice their entrepreneur skills and make money doing it at the Show-Me 4-H Wares event held once again during the 4-H Fair Chicken Dinner for the 13th year. Dresden Donze from Farrar 4-H Club sold his local Honey and Bee’s Wax Chapstick; Torin Zahner, Vanguard 4-H Club, sold all colors of homemade playdough; Evelyn Welker, Farrar 4-H, sold Zinnia Seeds, Ella Morrison, Farrar 4-H, sold her Kandi Bracelets and necklaces and Gavin Ruehling of Country & Camo 4-H Club marketed his leather belts, wallets, dog collars, plier and knife sheaths.
4-H Robotics SPIN Club members demonstrated their robots on the legion stage and were judged for their presentation. Champion Robot Demonstrations were awarded to: Max Asselmeier, Friendly Valley 4-H Club, in the senior category and Dresden Donze, Farrar 4-H Club, in the Junior division. Members that received a blue ribbon for their demonstration were: Bella Asselmeier, Luke Asselmeier, Evelyn Welker, Colton Coffey, Dominic Winningham, Vedha Simon, Mark Grantham and Anna Grantham.
Claire Melchior, Teen Council Communications Officer, served is Mistress of Ceremonies for the 4-H Fair Style Show, as 4-H members took “center stage”. The sewing 4-H project members who modeled what they made were: Isabella Asselmeier from Friendly Valley 4-H Club with a dress and Aubrie Dobbelare, Farrar 4-H Club in lounge pants and a kerchief.
The coveted “Friend of 4-H” award was presented by Natalie Fritsche-Kasten, Perry County 4-H Council President, to Perryville First Baptist Church, John Cross, Deacon. The “Friend of 4-H” is presented annually in recognition of support provided to Perry County 4-H by an individual, business or organization.
Special “Best of Show” Handmade Green & White Rosette 4-H ribbons were awarded to exhibits judged as “Overall Champions”. These projects demonstrate outstanding quality work and effort relative to standards. Only the following 13 projects were selected for this top honor from various areas of 4-H project work: Faith Buchheit, Country ‘n Camo 4-H Club,-“Baby Blanket” in Crochet; Clayton Lohmann, Farrar Hawthorne 4-H Club-“Egg Plants” in Vegetables; Hunter Hoehn, Farrar 4-H Club-“Insect Collection” in Entomology; Israel Melchior, Friendly Valley 4-H Club-“Shoe Bench” in Woodwork; Gavin Ruehling, Country ‘n Camo 4-H Club-“Leather Belt” in Arts & Crafts; Faith Buchheit, Country ‘n Camo 4-H Club-“Beach at Sunset” in Photography; Aubrie Dobbelare, Farrar 4-H Club – “Lounging Pants” in Sewing; Eli Lowes, Country ‘n Camo 4-H Club-“Log Cabin” in Welding; Adalynn Taylor, Sereno 4-H Club-“Cherry Blossom Tile Painting” in Visual Arts: Painting, Printing & Graphic Design; Faith Buchheit, Country ‘n Camo 4-H Club -“Air Pistol Sling” in Air Pistol; Lucas Fritsche, Farrar 4-H Club -“Lego Art” in Arts & Crafts; Dresden Donze, Farrar 4-H Club, “Honey with Comb” in Beekeeping; Adiel Melchior, Friendly Valley 4-H Club, “Mandelbrot” in International Foods.
The Purple Champion ribbon is awarded only to those exhibits that are of blue ribbon quality and demonstrate high quality, relative to standards of the project area. Most Purple ribbon exhibits are eligible to represent Perry County at the Missouri State Fair. All the Perry County 4-H members earning Champion Purple ribbons are listed in this article.
CHAMPION PURPLE RIBBON PROJECTS
-Agronomy-Field Crops: Champions: 2 to Clayton Lohmann, Hunter Hoehn, 3 to Adeline Buchheit.
-Amphibians and Reptiles: Evelyn Welker
-Animals (Educational Displays): Champion Purple Ribbons: Beef-Peyton Coffey; Cat Care-Engel Lohmann; Horseless Horse/Horse Knowledge-Mylee Geringer; Poultry-Josie Angle, Swine-Gradon Ruehling
-Beekeeping Champions – 3 to Dresden Donze.
-Arts & Crafts: Champion Purple Ribbon Winners:
Ages 8-10- Sydney Moran, 2 to Engel Lohmann, Adalynn Taylor, 2 to Dresden Donze, Henry Lohmann, Layton Mattingly, 3 to Jason Miesner, Heidi Miesner, 2 to Annie Buchheit, 3 to Chloe Zahner, Willow Sutterer, 2 to Aubrie Dobbelare, Mackenzie Southard, Peyton Coffey, Eme Meier, Hadley Versemann, Evelyn Welker.
Ages 11-13 – 3 to Wyatt Holt, Gavin Ruehling, 2 to Brooke Sutterer, 3 to Faith Buchheit, Adeline Buchheit.
Ages 14-18 – Lucas Fritsche, 2 to Landon Zahner, Adiel Melchior.
-Arts–Drawing, Fiber Arts & Sculpture: Champions to Lydia Miesner, Brooke Sutterer, Adeline Buchheit, Mackenzie Southard, 2 to Annie Buchheit, Willow Sutterer, Peyton Coffey
-Arts-Painting, Printing & Graphics Design: Champion to Brooke Sutterer, Elaina Taylor, Cara Winningham, 2 to Lydia Miesner, Adalynn Taylor
-Scrapbooking: Champion to Faith Buchheit and 2 to Engel Lohmann
-Cake Decorating: Champions were: Halie Fritsche and Adeline Buchheit
-Communications: Cara Winningham
-Crochet: Champion Purple Ribbon Winners: Emma Taylor, Allyson Doran, 2 to Faith Buchheit
- Entomology: Champion Hunter Hoehn
-Filmmaking – Champion Willow Sutter
-Foods/Nutrition-Cooking/Breads/International Foods: Henry Lohmann, 2 to Wyatt Holt, Willow Sutterer, Adeline Buchheit, Adiel Melchior
Foods Preservation: Champion Purple Ribbons: Hunter Hoehn, 2 to Lydia Miesner, Dalton Lohmann, Clayton Lohmann
Health/Fitness – Bicycle – Brooke Sutterer
Horticulture-Flowers- Champions Ella Morrison, Aubrie Dobbelare, Annie Buchheit, 2 to Kinsley Lohmann, Dresden Donze, Adeline Buchheit, Mylee Geringer,
-Horticulture-Gardening- Champions 3 to Heidi Miesner, 2 to Drew Schmidt, Annie Buchheit, Dresden Donze, Torin Zahner, Dalton Lohmann, Clayton Lohmann
Interior Design – Aubrie Dobbelare
Leadership – Maykla Brockman
Outdoor Adventures – Hiking – Mark Grantham
-Photography: Champion State Fair Eligible Purple Ribbons: John Grantham, Willow Sutterer, Dominic Winningham, 2 to Autumn Petzoldt, Brooke Sutterer, Lydia Miesner, Faith Buchheit.
Other Champion purples to 2 to Gretchen Asselmeier, 2 to Claire Melchior, 2 to Henry Lohmann, Torin Zahner, 2 to Colton Coffey, Engel Lohmann, Josie Angle, Cara Winningham, 2 to Gavin Ruehling, Adiel Melchior, Israel Melchior, Gradon Ruehling,
-Sewing: Champion Purple Winners: Sydney Moran and Aubrie Dobbelare
-Shooting Sports: Champion Purple Ribbons: Archery-John Grantham, 3 to Sydney Moran, 2 to Evelyn Welker, Samuel Brockman, Max Asselmeier, Isabella Asselmeier, Hunter Hoehn, Merrick Zahner,Mackenzier Southard; Air & Pellet Rifle-Faith Buchheit, Rosa Lowes, Henry Lohmann, Air Pistol-Faith Buchheit, Eli Lowes, Engel Lohmann; Shotgun-Austin Petzoldt, Smallbore Pistol-2 to Eli Lowes; Muzzleloading-Eli Lowes, Rosa Lowes
-Welding: Champion Purple Ribbon Winners 2 to Eli Lowes and Makenna Schemel
-Wildlife: Chloe Zahner & Autumn Petzoldt
-Woodworking: Champion Purple Ribbon Winners: 3 to Jason Miesner, Teagan Verseman, Israel Melchior
4-H Clover Kids is a non-competitive 4-H program for ages 5-7. Items exhibited are not judged but all earn a ribbon based on years of participation.
In the Clover Kids Small Animal Show & Tell George Lohmann, Farrar 4-H Clover Kids showed a chicken and a guinea pig, Dominic Vernon, Farrar 4-H, talked about his Guinea Pig; Jillian McDowell, Friendly Valley Clover Kids, showed her dog, Mandy Schirmer, Southern Reins 4-H Club told about her Bearded Dragon, Hattie Morrison, Farrar 4-H Clover Kids showed her dog, and Reagyn Vernon, Farrar 4-H showed her Guinea Pig.
Clover Kids Members Exhibiting items inside the building were:
-Friendly Valley 4-H Clover Kids Club: 1st Year-Sophia Asselmeier, Zachary Buchheit, Jillian McDowell;
-Farrar 4-H Clover Kids Club: 1st Year- Magnolia Meier; Hattie Morrison, Domanik Vernon, Reagyn Vernon, Peyton Versemann, 2nd Year-Reid Bachmann, Elijah Kasten, Austin Miesner, Caitlin Winningham; 3rd Year-George Lohmann and Joshua Southard
-Sereno 4-H Clover Kids Club: 2nd Year Allie Taylor
-Southern Reins 4-H Club: 1st Year: Mandy Schirmer
-Vanguard 4-H Club Clover Kids: 1st Year Sarah Roberts; 2nd Year: Josie Zahner
Live Animals:
Overall Small Animal Champion – Mylee Geringer with her Pet Tortoise
Dogs: Champion Dog and Obedience Champion: Mylee Geringer
Cats: Champion Cat Adeline Buchheit
Rabbits: Senior Buck Champion – Henry Lohmann
Senior Doe Champion – Mylee Geringer
4-H FAIR SHOWMANSHIP ROSETTE WINNERS
Rabbits – Ages 8-10: Sydney Moran
Ages 11-13: Mylee Geringer
Cats – Adeline Buchheit
Dogs – Mylee Geringer
Pets – Mylee Geringer
Poultry – 8 to 10 yrs: Wyatt holt
11 to 13 yrs: Allison Kiefer
Bucket Calf – 8-10 yrs: Dresden Donze
11-13 yrs: Mylee Geringer
Sheep – 8 to 10 yrs: Henry Lohmann
11 to 13 yrs: Autumn Petzoldt
14-18 yrs: Gradon Ruehling
Goats – 8 to 10 yrs: TIE: Emelia Meier & Dresden Donze
11-13 yrs: Mylee Geringer
14-18 yrs.: Drew Schmidt
Swine –11 to 13 yrs: Gavin Ruehling
14-18 yrs: Gradon Ruehling
Dairy – Ella Morrison
EDUCATIONAL BOOTHS
Champion Booth – Vanguard 4-H Club “Everyone Take A Hike”
Other Clubs Displaying Booths were: Friendly Valley 4-H Club “To Make the Best Better” and Southern Reins 4-H Club and Farrar Hawthorne 4-H Club.
WINNER OF TEEN COUNCIL 50/50 DRAWING
Joni Peters
TOP Sellers of Chicken
Dinner Tickets
1sts Place: Gavin and Gradon Ruehling Family, Country ‘n Camo 4-H Club
2nd Place: Mylee Geringer, Cowboys & Angels 4-H Club
3rd Place: Autumn & Austin Petzoldt Family, Farrar 4-H Club
According to Dianna Koenig, Perry County University of Missouri Extension 4-H Youth Development Program Associate, “4-H thrives because caring adults get involved to help kids learn, grow and work together in a safe environment. I would like to thank all those who helped in any way with this year’s 4-H Fair and Chicken Dinner. Enough thanks cannot be given to all the leaders, volunteers and parents who put in so much time and effort by sharing their time and talents with our 4-H members throughout the year.”
4-H is open to ALL youth in both town and rural areas to explore new interests and ideas, meet friends, have fun while learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. For information about how to participate in year-long 4-H clubs or short-term, focused 4-H SPIN (Special Interest) Clubs, contact Dianna Koenig, 4-H Youth Development Program Associate at 573-547-4504 or 573-513-2899.
The 4-H program is coordinated through the Perry County University of Missouri Extension Center. University of Missouri, Lincoln University, U.S. Department of Agriculture & Local Extension
