LARAMIE - For the second year in a row the Niobrara County 4-H Junior Meats Team has brought home the State Championship Title. The State Contest was held in Laramie at the University of Wyoming Meat Laboratory on April 25. A total of twelve junior teams competed in this contest as well as seven senior age teams. Individually, there were eighteen junior individuals (8 -10 years of age), thirty-one intermediate age contestants (11-14) and thirty-two senior competitors (14-18).

Junior team members Gracie Zumbrunnen, Melody Zumbrunnen, Kort Bannan and Wyatt Strauch had a combined score of 1,903 points to claim the Championship banner donated by the Marian Henderson Memorial. Each team member received a plaque donated by the Sanchez Family of Evanston. Natrona County had the second-place team which tallied 1,848 points and Fremont was third with 1,784.

Gracie Zumbrunnen paced the championship team and the intermediate division with a total score of 653 points out of the possible 700 points offered. She received a plaque donated by the Wyoming Meat Processors Association for this high individual honor. Gracie was also the high intermediate individual in placing of classes with 298 points out of the possible 300 total points. She received another award for this honor, which was donated by Doug and Denise Stark. She was also recognized individually for placing third in oral reasons and questions and she was the fifth high individual in retail cut identification.

Melody Zumbrunnen was the second-high individual intermediate contestant with a score of 641 and was honored with a plaque donated by Doug and Denise Stark. She was recognized for being the high individual in retail cut identification with a perfect score of two hundred. She received a plaque donated by Albany County Title.

Teammate Kort Bannan earned 609 points to place seventh in the intermediate division and was also recognized for placing second in retail identification with a score of 192 out of the possible 200.

Wyatt Strauch rounded out the junior team with a final score of 511 points to place him sixth overall in the junior division of this contest. Wyatt was also third in junior retail cut identification and ninth in junior placings.

Emily ZumBrunnen, a first year 4-H member and meat judge, gathered 507 total points to place seventh in the junior age division. Emily was also fifth in retail cut identification and eighth in placing of classes.

Kylie Strauch and Aiden Applegarth competed as senior individuals in the contest. Kylie had a final total of 712 points to place sixteenth overall and Aiden totaled 672 to place twenty-fourth. Kylie tied for tenth in retail cut identification and Aiden was right behind in fourteenth place.

The group was coached by 4-H volunteer Tammie Jensen and chaperoned by Carrie Bannan, Amy Applegarth, Shirly Zumbrunnen and Jensen.