The DeWitt òòò½ÊÓƵ 4-H Livestock Judging Team competed at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, Scotland on Saturday, June 21. Competition rules broke the four-member team up into two teams of two.
The team of Wyatt Luddeke and Nathan Oakes and the team of Jackie Finney and Percy Torrez tied for first place at the show, making them international champions.
The team qualified for the international show in Scotland with a victory at the Western National Roundup on Jan. 10 in Denver, Colorado. The teamòòò½ÊÓƵ™s success at the Royal Highland Show became something team members never imagined they could achieve.
òòò½ÊÓƵœAbout a year and a half ago, we found out that if we were ever able to win one of the national contests, we could actually go to Scotland and judge,òòò½ÊÓƵ Luddeke said. òòò½ÊÓƵœWe thought the chances of us winning an international contest were pretty slim. When we got the information that we had actually won it and it was like all the hard work and all the countless hours of us practicing had finally paid off. Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s just such an exciting moment.òòò½ÊÓƵ
òòò½ÊÓƵœI donòòò½ÊÓƵ™t know if I have fully grasped actually winning,òòò½ÊÓƵ Oakes said. òòò½ÊÓƵœThis is something we never dreamed of. I didnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t think weòòò½ÊÓƵ™d ever be able to accomplish it. Now that weòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve won the international contest, itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s just absolutely mind-boggling to all of us.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The experience the team has had in Scotland has been one-of-a-kind, Luddeke said. They have been able to see different livestock judging technology and methods. The scenery of Scotland, the countryside, old cathedrals and castles will remain in the minds of team members for a long time.
Having previously competed and traveled as a team of four made the transition to competing as two teams of two a more foreign endeavor. Learning that both teams of two had tied for first and would be recognized as international champions came as a shock.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI thought they had definitely told us wrong and thought that somebody had messed up somewhere. We all did not think that we had done that great,òòò½ÊÓƵ Finney said. òòò½ÊÓƵœHearing the results was just insane.òòò½ÊÓƵ
òòò½ÊÓƵœItòòò½ÊÓƵ™s such a surreal thing to think about,òòò½ÊÓƵ Torrez said. òòò½ÊÓƵœThings really can happen if you work hard at it and keep your mind on it and never give up. We used to think that this was just going to be a dream of ours, but now we actually accomplished everything that we wanted to do.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The community of DeWitt county and the surrounding areas have given the team the support they needed to achieve this accomplishment, Oakes said. The support they have received fueled their passions and ambitions for livestock judging and allowed them to travel internationally to compete.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI donòòò½ÊÓƵ™t know the words to ever tell those people thank you, because itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s just something incredible they have done for a set of four young kids,òòò½ÊÓƵ Oakes said.
òòò½ÊÓƵœIt feels great knowing that after every contest, weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re going to go home and thereòòò½ÊÓƵ™s going to be people there to support us and uplift us no matter what,òòò½ÊÓƵ Finney said. òòò½ÊÓƵœWhether we win or we lose, thereòòò½ÊÓƵ™s always going to be people in our corner.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The team is grateful for the support and help they have received from other members of the DeWitt òòò½ÊÓƵ 4-H Livestock Judging Team, their coaches and their families.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI would just also like to give a big thanks to our coaches and our family that have supported us this whole time,òòò½ÊÓƵ Torrez said. òòò½ÊÓƵœIt wouldnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t be possible without them, and weòòò½ÊÓƵ™ll always remember these contests that weòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve been to and how much they support us.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Commented