Huron 4-H Leaders' Association hands out 2024 awards to outstanding members
BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN
Late last month, the Huron County 4-H Leaders’ Association held its annual awards gala, honouring the best and brightest members of the local 4-H program that has meant so much to so many over the years.
President Holly Holyoake of Lucknow and Vice-President Laura Higgins of Brussels presided over the night’s activities with dozens in attendance to celebrate the achievements of the past year. Don Dodds, who has spent more than six decades volunteering with the program, received special recognition that night, with the association thanking him for his generations of service to the work of 4-H.
Here are those who were honoured that night in Clinton at the Libro Hall in the Central Huron Community Complex.
Reporting Awards
• Secretary Book Award: Mercedes Prout
• The Citizen/Rural Voice Press Reporter Award: Clayton Hern
Huron County Goat Club
• Lisa Thompson MPP Award: Jake Heessels
• Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair: Lily Shapton
• Top Novice Member: Lindsay Van Beets and Sofia Gardiner
• Joan Van Sligtenhorst Award of Merit (Top Member): Lily Shapton
• Joan Van Sligtenhorst Award of Merit (Reserve Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Jake Heessels
• Joan Van Sligtenhorst Award of Merit (Reserve Goat at Seaforth Fair): Lily Shapton
• Most Improved Member: Alycia Van Beets and Thomas Weernink
• TD Canada Trust Award (Champion Sweepstakes Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Lily Shapton
North Huron Sheep Club
• Riegling Accounting Award (Reserve Champion Ewe Lamb at Seaforth Fair): Rory Jamieson
• Lucknow Sheep Leaders Award: Gabby Johnston
• Skylar Whitehead Auctions Award: Laykin Simpson
South Huron Sheep Club
• Lisa Thompson MPP Award (Champion Sheep Showperson at the Seaforth Fair): Emily Datema
• The Old Mill Award: Emily Datema
• The Green’s Meat Market Award (Champion Market Lamb at Seaforth Fair): Reese deBoer
• Miedema Meats Award (Reserve Champion Market Lamb at Seaforth Fair): Emily Datema
• Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Award (Reserve Champion Sheep Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Rachel Gras
• Shillalah Farms Award (Champion ewe lamb at Seaforth Fair): Rachel Gras
• South Huron Sheep Club Leaders’ Award: Rachel Gras, Molly Bolinger and Melanie Sinclair
• TD Canada Trust Award (Champion Sweepstakes Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Lily Shapton
Libro Book Project Awards
• Novice: first, Myles Theophilopoulos; second, Brett DeJonge; third, Henry Drennan.
• Intermediate: first, Halle Barton; second, Clayton Hern; third, Grace Theophilopoulos
• Senior: first, Megan Metske.
• There were no entries in the Junior category
Volunteer Recognition (Leaders)
• One year: Sarah Govers, Brook Hendriks, Laura Jutzi, Anne Marie Kraft, John Krebs
• 10 years: Kim Lawlor
• 15 years: Melissa Veldman, Reg Vinnicombe
• 30 years: Cathy Drennan
• 65 years: Don Dodds
Go for the Gold
• Hoegy’s Farm Supply Award (winning Go for the Gold team, which went on to win the provincial competition at the Royal Winter Fair): Rachel Gras, Evy Verschaeve, Emily Datema, Paige Bruinsma, Avery Bruinsma
• Royal Champion Team: Molly Bolinger, Avery Bruinsma, Paige Bruinsma, Mackenzie Terpstra, Evy Verschaeve
Huron County Swine Awards
• Huron County Pork Producers Award (highest score in Central Huron Swine Club): Reese deBoer
• Dodds Century Farm Award: Darcy Fear
• Meridian Credit Union Award (Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Darcy Fear
• Huron County Pork Producers’ Second Award (Reserve Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Jessalyn Hendriks
• Bruce Bergsma Memorial Award (member with most-improved score): Claire DeBoer
• Central Huron Swine Leaders’ Award (top first-time club member): Connor Lyons
Huron County 4-H Members Seals
• Six clubs completed: Molly Bolinger, Clara DeBoer, Hailynn Greidanus, Colyn Hallahan, Sam Kramers, Wyatt De Jonge, Jamie Deuschle, Tysen Greidanus, Kirsten Hofman, Janelle Parsons, Reese deBoer, Henry Drennan, Ayden Hallahan, Josephine Kraft, Raelynn Pennington
• 12 clubs completed: Troy Coultes, Loralei Gross, Kara Shapton, Kayla Drennan, Simon Gubelmann, Grace Theophilopoulos, Rachel Gras, Regan Parr
• 18 clubs completed: Max Johnston, Megan Metske, Mercedes Prout
• 24 clubs completed (The Gay Lea Award): Darcy Fear, Lily Shapton, Evy Verschaeve
• 30 clubs completed: Jessalyn Hendriks
• 66 clubs completed: Emily Bieman
• Emily Bieman, Kayla Drennan, Mercedes Prout, Emily Datema, Mackenzie Terpstra and Grace Theophilopoulos were recognized as youth leaders, while Dakota Coultes, Alex Coultes, Megan Metske, Mackenzie Terpstra and Evy Verschaeve were recognized as members in their last year of 4-H who have completed clubs in five of the last seven years.
Belgrave Vet Club
• Heartland Vet Services Award (top member): Mercedes Prout
• Vet Club Leaders’ Award (top novice member): Brynley Moffat
• Ethoguard Award (most dedicated member): Henry Drennan
• Ethoguard’s Second Award (club leadership): Claire Vanderlip
Libro Life Skill Awards
• West Wawanosh: outstanding member, Reese deBoer; lives up to the motto, Jamie Deuschle
• Hensall: outstanding member, Grace Theophilopoulos; lives up to the motto, Clayton Hern
Judging Competition Awards
• Cloverbud Leaders’ Award top cloverbud judge): Lyla Fisher
• Hensall District Co-op Award (top novice judge): Alyssa Matheson
• Hill and Hill Farms Award (top junior judge): Anabelle Keys
• Anonymous Award (top intermediate judge): Clair DeBoer
• Hill and Hill Farms Award (top senior judge): Evy Verschaeve
• CIBC Award (top overall judge): Clair DeBoer
• Veldman Farms Award: first, Emily Bieman; second, Evy Verschaeve; first club, South Central Dairy Club; second club, Fluff and Feather Club, and third club, South Huron Sheep Club
Belgrave Brussels Beef Club
• Maple Ridge Beef Farms Award (Top Junior Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Clay Hoggart
• Huron County Beef Producers Award (top novice beef club member): Seth Moffat
• Rail Line Farms Award (Top Novice Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Trace Boven
• Stan Jackson Awards: Champion Market Animal, Max Johnston; Reserve Market Animal, Trace Boven; Third Market Animal, Colyn Hallahan; Third Breeding Heifer, Hailey Laing; Fourth Breeding Heifer, Beverly Mitchell
• W.J. Bill Sproul Memorial Award (first-place group of three at Seaforth Fair, presented by the Auburn Lions Club): Beverly Mitchell, Hailey Laing and Henry Drennan
Lucknow Beef Club
• Brussels Agri-Services Award (Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Nolan Neitzel
• Time View Farms Award (Champion Senior Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Nolan Neitzel
• Higgins Line Farm Award (Champion Intermediate Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Andrew Metske
• Stan Jackson Awards: highest score in beef club, Megan Metske; fourth market animal, Evy Verschaeve; champion breeding heifer, Megan Metske; reserve champion heifer, Nolan Neitzel
• Brandon Metske Award: Mason Weber
Central Huron Dairy Club
• CIBC Award (highest score): Loralei Gross
• Orr Insurance Award (champion calf at Seaforth Fair): Aven Dykstra
• Auburn Co-op Award (reserve champion calf at Seaforth Fair): Cal Dykstra
• Midwest Co-op Award (Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Bree Dykstra
• D&D Glass Award (Reserve Champion Showperson at Seaforth Fair): Cynthia Matheson
• Dairy Club Leaders’ Award: (top novice dairy showperson at Seaforth Fair): Gavin Gross
• Huron Holstein Award: first, Loralei Gross; second, Holly Gross
Sodbusters Club
• Steve Corbett Award (highest score): Clayton Hern
• McGavin Farm Equipment Award (novice member with highest score): Percy Parsons
• Townsend Tire Award (youngest member): Keith Dekroon
• Sodbuster Leaders’ Award: most improved, Brendan Hickey; most dedicated, Darcy Fear
• Ross Gordon Memorial Award (best crown on Junior Day at the Huron County Plowing Match): Dugal McIntosh
• Bill Leeming Memorial Award (best finish on Junior Day at the Huron County Plowing Match): Clayton Hern
• TD Canada Trust Award (top plow person at the Huron County Plowing Match): Cole Hugill
• AgVise Award (member with highest points total at the International Plowing Match): Dugald McIntosh
Field Crop Awards
• Pickseed Award (top first-cut hay at Seaforth Fair): Trace Boven
• Anderson Award (top second-cut hay at Seaforth Fair): Trace Boven
• NK Seeds Award (top haylage at Seaforth Fair): Trace Boven
• Coleman Farms Award (first-place corn at Seaforth Fair): Clay Hoggart
• SeCan Award (top wheat exhibit at Seaforth Fair): The Johnston Boys
Huron County Awards
• Ontario Plowmen’s Association Award: Mackenzie Terpstra
• Top Gate Sign Award: Evy Verschaeve
• Darrell Bergsma Dedication Award: Mackenzie Terpstra
• Ben Lobb Award: Henry Drennan
• Warden’s Award: Seth Moffat
• Don Pullen Award: Megan Metske
• Murray Cardiff Citizenship Award: Evy Verschaeve.