Six 4-H youth from Meeker County participated in the Minnesota 4-H State Dog Show Sept. 24-25, 2022. In total, 311 youth from across the state participated in this annual event, held at the 4-H Building on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
Over the two-day event, 4-H’ers demonstrate their skills and knowledge in agility, obedience, showmanship, and rally, competing against other youth in their age group and experience level.
Youth members of the Minnesota 4-H Dog Project learn to train and build a trusting relationship with their pet. Topics of study include canine behavior, breed characteristics, diseases, ethics, grooming, health, nutrition, responsible breeding, service dogs, therapy dogs, dog-related careers, and the wide array of dog sports.
“Youth learn so much responsibility from training their dog and competing in the 4-H State Dog Show,” said Kim Lambert, one of the many caring adults who volunteer with the 4-H Dog Project statewide. “These kids work all year long, building strong partnerships with their dogs. If they don’t work carefully with their dogs, the dogs won’t work for them. The responsibility kids learn here they can use forever.”
The following youth were members of the Meeker County delegation:
Club Key:
CC – Cosmos Comets
DH – Danielson Hustlers
DL – Dassel Lamplighters
FCL – Forest City Livewires
KEB – Koronis Eager Beavers
KK – Kimball Kruisers
LS – Litchfield Satellites
VV – Valley Victors
Ribbon Key:
BL – Blue
RD – Red
(Exhibitor Name, Club, Event, Ribbon, Special Awards)
• Frances Geurts, KK, Agility – Intermediate – 4, 8, and 12 inches, BL, Champion
• Frances Geurts, KK, Rally – Novice, BL
• Maisy Geurts, KK, Rally – Pre-
Novice, BL
• Karina Meed, VV, Obedience –
Beginner, BL
• Karina Meed, VV, Rally – Pre-
Novice, BL, Reserve Champion
• Karina Meed, VV, Showmanship – Novice, RD
• Andrew Soderlund, DL,
Agility – Elementary – 4, 8, and 12 inches, BL, Champion
• Andrew Soderlund, DL,
Agility – Jumpers 1A – 4, 8, and 12 inches, BL
• Andrew Soderlund, DL, Obedience – Graduate Beginner, BL, Champion
• Andrew Soderlund, DL, Showmanship – Open, BL
• Kaitlyn Wesley, FCL, Agility – Beginner – 4, 8 and 12 inches, RD
• Kaitlyn Wesley, FCL, Agility –
Jumpers 1A – 4, 8 and 12 inches, RD
• Kaitlyn Wesley, FCL, Obedience – Beginner, BL
• Kaitlyn Wesley, FCL, Rally – Pre-Novice, BL
• Gabriel Yanish, FCL,
Obedience – Graduate Beginner, BL
• Gabriel Yanish, FCL, Showmanship – Open, BL, 2nd Award of Excellence
To learn more about the 4-H Dog Project, contact 4-H Local Extension Educator Cassidy Martin at (320) 693-5275 and visit the website at https://z.umn.edu/4Hdog.
About Extension 4-H: 4-H is a youth development program of the University of Minnesota Extension. Available for youth in kindergarten thru 1 year after high school, 4-H’ers participate in hands-on learning experiences in STEM, citizenship and leadership, animal science, creative arts and much more. In this learn-by-doing process, youth obtain essential life skills such as problem solving, decision making, coping and communicating that help them succeed in their school, college, community and career. Research shows that youth who participate in 4-H have better grades and are more emotionally engaged with school, are more than twice as likely to be civically active and contribute to their communities, and are 47% less likely to have risky or problem behaviors.