Twenty Butler County 4-H Club members traveled to the main campus of Penn State University to participate in the annual state 4-H Achievement Days program.

These 4-H members were among the nearly 1,000 from across the state who participated in competitive and educational programs. State 4-H Achievement Days provide participants with an opportunity to showcase their knowledge and achievements while becoming better acquainted with Penn State University.

Butler County contestants made their presence known in several events.

The horse bowl team of Elizabeth Radke of Cranberry Township, Ashley Walczak of Prospect and Amanda Hawkins and John Rihel, both of Slippery Rock, captured first place honors. The team met challengers in a series of elimination rounds to emerge as the state champion. They will now travel to the All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio, in October and the Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup in Louisville, Ky., in November. They will represent Pennsylvania in these national level contests. In addition to team honors, Radke placed third and Hawkins placed fourth in individual scoring.

Amanda Dillaman of Slippery Rock participated as an individual contestant in the hippology contest.

Her knowledge of horse care and management, conformation, and judging earned her third place honors among a field of more than 90 contestants. Brittany Rihel of Slippery Rock also competed as an individual in the hippology contest.

The senior division dairy judging team finished fourth in team competition. Team members Megan DeHart of Evans City, Justin Kennedy of Butler, Joseph Leslie of Connoquenessing and Cara Stephenson of Chicora demonstrated their ability to judge dairy cattle type and present oral reasons in defense of their decisions. Leslie was also recognized as the 12th place individual contestant. Kate Booher of New Castle participated as an individual in the junior dairy judging contest and earned 15th place.

Kimberly Dow of Evans City, Dawn Lehnerd of Butler, Dannielle Spencer of Cabot and Amy Turner of Renfrew competed in the senior division of the horse-judging contest, earning an eighth place team award. Dannielle Spencer was also recognized as the 12th place individual.

Pamela Cox of Evans City was a contestant in the chicken barbecue contest and placed second. Jessi Kummer of Renfrew competed in the rabbit and cavy program, capturing sixth in individual placings. Also participating were Rebecca and Amanda Tyson, both of Slippery Rock, in the livestock judging activities.

Accompanying the county group were Extension Agent Ellen Linamen and 4-H Club after school program coordinator Jaye Young.

The Pennsylvania 4-H program is coordinated by the Penn State Cooperative Extension. For more information on 4-H programs in Butler County, contact Ellen Linamen at 724-287-4761.