Volusia County 4-H Livestock Judging

05/26/2026

PRE-ORDERS CLOSE TONIGHT

Available in seven delicious flavors, each case is $26.00 available as a single case or as a variety pack!

Reach out to a team member or use the link below to place a pre-order, please note it is up to the buyer to arrange for delivery or pickup of sticks.

Ordering is open until 11:59pm EST on May 25.

Link to Order ⬇️
https://forms.gle/yKBzLvCHWsAcZBzz8

05/23/2026

Meat stick pre-orders are still open until Monday!

Available in seven delicious flavors, each case is $26.00 available as a single case or as a variety pack!

Reach out to a team member or use the link below to place a pre-order, please note it is up to the buyer to arrange for delivery or pickup of sticks.

Ordering is open until 11:59pm EST on May 25.

Link to Order ⬇️
https://forms.gle/yKBzLvCHWsAcZBzz8

05/22/2026

Thank you to Volusia County Farm Bureau for allowing our national livestock and meats judging teams to attend your meeting tonight to discuss their trips to Kansas City and Denver!

05/19/2026

Looking for your first chance to support our national-bound livestock and meats judging teams? It's easy, simple and tasty — order your case of meat sticks!

Available in seven delicious flavors, each case is $26.00 available as a single case or as a variety pack!

We are looking to place the first order next week, reach out to a team member or use the link below to place a pre-order, please note it is up to the buyer to arrange for a team member to deliver, or for pickup of sticks.

Ordering is open until 11:59pm EST on May 25.

Link to Order ⬇️
https://forms.gle/yKBzLvCHWsAcZBzz8

04/28/2026

Check out our Kansas City bound team!

— State Livestock Judging WINNERS 🐂

Congratulations to the team from Suwannee County 4-H, named as CHAMPION of the 2026 Florida 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest on April 11!

Members of the state champion team, from Suwannee County 4-H, include Gracie Swindell, Levi Starling, Peyton McCook and Wyatt Watson, coached by Erin Jones, county livestock agent.

Gracie Swindell placed second overall, followed by Levi Starling in third and Peyton McCook in sixth as individuals in the competition.

Other top placing teams include...

2 — Lake County 4-H + Osceola County Florida 4-H

Rhett Coggins — Overall High Individual
Devon Brown — Fifth High Individual
Darren Bailey — Seventh High Individual
Allison Reagan

Coach: Suzanne Archer

3 — Volusia County Florida 4-H

Mya Coates — Eighth High Individual
Liberty Conaway — Tenth High Individual
Hannah Luznar
Landon Kumpf

Coach: Lori Chattin Smith

4 — Marion County (FL) 4-H

Brooke Sakuta — Ninth High Individual
Ada Perryman
Adelyne Ruiz
Cameron Simpson

5 — Putnam County 4-H

Christa Bryant
Jayvin Price
Stran Cahan
Anthony Crum

6 — Gilchrist Fourh

Joyce Teague
Emelia Marquis
Brant Lane
Brooke Shepherd

7 — Hernando County 4-H

Sofia Perkins
Samantha Perkins
Korral Fazio
Tony Perkins

Rounding out the top 10 was Lilliana Salerno of Hillsborough County 4-H, placing fourth as an individual.
Each team competed on the state level on April 11, hosted by the UF Animal Sciences Department in Gainesville.

For their accomplishment, the champion senior team from Suwannee County qualifies to represent Florida at the national contest, hosted by the NAILE in Louisville, Kentucky, scheduled for November 2026.

The reserve champion team from Lake/Osceola qualifies to represent Florida at the Western National Roundup in Denver, Colorado, in January 2027, while the third place team from Volusia qualifies to represent Florida at the American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri in October 2026.

Livestock judging challenges youth to evaluate classes of market and breeding cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and to defend their placings through oral reasons using decision making, critical thinking, reasoning, teamwork and public speaking skills.

Congratulations, teams!

04/18/2026

DENVER BOUND

Volusia County 4-H Takes Home Second Place Finish in 2026 State Meats Judging Contest

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Volusia County 4-H competed on the state level and brought home the reserve state championship at the 2026 Florida 4-H State Meats Judging Contest, held on Saturday, April 11, hosted by the UF Animal Sciences Department in Gainesville.

Team members include Justin "Ty" Davis, 18 of Pierson; Isabella Norman-Rusnak, 15 of DeLand; Addison Richardson, 15 of Osteen and Peyton Roddy, 17 of Port Orange, who earned second place at the contest, earning the opportunity to represent Florida on the national level next season.

As a team, they also placed second in the subdivision for retail ID and third in the subdivision for judging placings. Individually, Ty Davis placed second in judging placings, third in retail ID and third overall, while Isabella Norman-Rusnak placed seventh in retail ID and seventh overall.

For their accomplishment, the team is now eligible to represent Florida on the national level at the Western National Roundup Meats Judging Contest this winter, scheduled for January 2027 in Denver.

The team is coached by Abby Marion of DeLand, with seven teams from across Florida competing on the state level, as the first-ever meats team to qualify for national competition from Volusia County. The team from Escambia County, placing first, plus our team from Volusia, respectively, qualify for national-level competitions next season.

Meats judging challenges youth to learn to identify and evaluate over 100 retail cuts, wholesale cuts and carcasses of beef, pork and lamb through identification, placings and reasons.

Congratulations, team!

04/18/2026

Best of luck to our senior meats judging team today at the state contest in Gainesville! 🍀

Team Members —

Justin "Ty" Davis
Isabella Noman-Rusnak
Addie Richardson
Peyton Roddy

04/12/2026

KANSAS CITY BOUND

Volusia County 4-H Takes Home Top Three Finish in 2026 State Livestock Judging Contest

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Volusia County 4-H competed on the state level and brought home a third-place finish at the 2026 Florida 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest, held on Saturday, April 11, hosted by the UF Animal Sciences Department in Gainesville.

Team members include Mya Coates, 16 of New Smyrna Beach; Liberty Conaway, 15 of DeLeon Springs; Hannah Luznar, 16 of Samsula and Landon Kumpf, 17 of Deltona, earned third place in the contest, with the opportunity to represent Florida on the national level.

As a team, they also placed first in the subdivision for swine, second in the beef, third in sheep and goats and fourth in reasons.

Individually, Mya Coates placed fifth in reasons, eighth in sheep and goats, and eighth overall. Liberty Conaway placed third in swine, tenth in reasons and tenth overall. Hannah Luznar placed first in beef, tied for fourth in swine and placed eleventh overall, and Landon Kumpf tied for fourth in swine and placed twelfth overall.

For their accomplishment, the team is now eligible represent Florida on the national level in the American Royal Livestock Judging Contest this fall, scheduled for October 18 in Kansas City, Mo.

The team is coached by Lori Smith of DeLand, as her tenth nationally-qualifying livestock team from Volusia County, with eight teams from across Florida competing for the state championship in Gainesville.

Our team from Volusia, plus teams from Suwannee and Lake/Osceola County 4-H placing first and second, respectively, qualify for national-level competitions next season.

Also from Volusia County, the team from DeLand FFA, including fellow 4-H members Mia Portillo, Zach Mosley and Justin "Ty" Davis, plus Emma Lightsey, competed and earned state championship honors in the 2026 Florida FFA State Livestock Evaluation CDE, and will also represent Florida on the national level this fall.

Livestock judging challenges youth to evaluate classes of market and breeding cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and to defend their placings through oral reasons using decision making, critical thinking, reasoning, teamwork and public speaking skills.

Congratulations, team!

04/11/2026

'Twas the night before the state contest, and after eight months of preparation this season, they are ready for a great day of judging tomorrow!

Liberty, Hannah, Mya and Landon will represent Volusia County at the 2026 Florida 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest in Gainesville, in hopes of bringing home the state championship!

Please join us in wishing them — plus fellow members Mia, Ty and Zach representing DeLand FFA on the state level — the very best of luck for clear thoughts, proper placings and smooth sets of reasons!

Volusia County Florida 4-H
UF IFAS Extension Volusia County

02/12/2026

One of the Florida's largest judging contests each season took place last week, congratulations to our teams on their success at the Florida State Fair 4-H Contests in Tampa!
INTERMEDIATE

Reserve Overall Team

Tinley Davis — Reserve High Individual
Alayah O'Marro — Ninth High Individual
Aubrey Moore — Tenth High Individual
Jolene Jackson

SENIOR

Fourth Place Team

Hannah Luznar — Reserve High Individual
Hunter Roof — Top 20 Individual
Liberty Conaway
Isabella Noman-Rusnak
Held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, the contest included eight classes, questions and one set of reasons for intermediates, and new in 2026, split into intermediate and senior division competitions. Teams from Suwannee and Putnam County took home the wins in each division.

Congratulations!