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August 10 marked the seventh annual “Best of the West” county showcase held in Wessington Springs. Thirty-three counties were invited to take part in the event. Eighteen counties paid their entry fee as well as some great sponsors including: Bruns Ranch, L4L Sheep Company, Farmers and Merchants State Bank, Rolling Hills Vet, First Dakota National Bank, Great Plains Farm Mutual Insurance, Dakota Pro Air, Ravine Creek Ranch, Simplot, JP Livestock, NLC Ranch and American Bank & Trust. All monies were paid back out to the top five in each division in cash and prizes. The planning committee consisted of Kama Bruns, Marty and Mandy Michalek, Garrett Bischoff, Steve Zoss and Jim and Audra Scheel. Sweet Grass Eatery served a delicious concession stand and the barn was packed with spectators. Champions from each county were invited to attend the showcase after winning their local county 4-H shows. Dale Knode, Yankton, SD, evaluated the rabbits, poultry. Andrew Weber evaluated the dairy divisions. Brian Williams of Guthrie, OK, selected the top five in the large livestock divisions. Top Five Breeding Rams: Champion, Kaycee Scheel, Jerauld-Buffalo County; Reserve Champion Paige Olivier, Aurora County; 3rd Overall, Cason Glanzer, Beadle County; 4th Overall, Cash Fuller, Hughes Stanley County; 5th Overall, Wylie Bracha, Sanborn County. Top Five Breeding Ewes: Champion, Delaney Zoss, Sanborn County; Reserve Champion, Shaden Muller, Sully County; 3rd Overall, Brooke Howard, Aurora County; 4th Overall Kamden Junck, Union County; 5th Overall, Parker Bischoff, Beadle County. Top Five Market Lambs: Champion, Shaden Muller, Sully County; Reserve Champion, Delaney Zoss, Sanborn County; 3rd Overall, Brooke Howard, Aurora County; 4th Overall, Parker Bischoff, Beadle County; 5th Overall, Kamden Junck, Union County. Top Five Breeding Goats: Champion, Mayli Forman, Beadle County; Reserve Champion, Delaney Zoss, Sanborn County; 3rd Overall, Ryan VanDerWerff, Tripp County; 4th Overall, Tayzlee Michalek, Brule County; 5th Overall, Tenley Olinger, Jerauld-Buffalo County. Top Five Market Goats: Champion, Coy Peterson, Brule County; Reserve Champion, Swayzee Dunsmore, Hand County; 3rd Overall, Delaney Zoss, Sanborn County; 4th Overall, Kaycee Scheel, Jerauld-Buffalo County; 5th Overall, Dusti Laska, Charles Mix County. Top Five Breeding Heifers: Champion, Cannon Reimann, Hand County; Reserve Champion, Scarlett Radke, Sanborn County; 3rd Overall, Kenidey Effling, Hyde County; 4th Overall, Kerstynn Heim, Jerauld-Buffalo County; 5th Overall, Chance Blum, Brule County. Top Five Market Beef: Champion, Kenidey Effling, Hyde County; Reserve Champion, Makynna Heim, Jerauld-Buffalo County; 3rd Overall, Tucker Micheel, Beadle County; 4th Overall, Shaelee Jensen, Hand County; 5th Overall, Avery Antelope, Tripp County. Top Five Breeding Swine: Champion, Jessie Coyle, Hand County; Reserve Champion, Rilyn Thury, Bon Homme County; 3rd Overall, Teagan Scheel, Jerauld-Buffalo County; 4th Overall, Lauren VonEschen, Charles Mix County; 5th Overall, Hope Baysinger, Sanborn County. Top Five Market Swine: Champion, Teagan Scheel, Jerauld-Buffalo County; Reserve Champion, Landon Coyle, Hand County; 3rd Overall, Kenidey Effling, Hyde County; 4th Overall, Hope Baysinger, Sanborn County; 5th Overall, Lauren VonEschen, Charles Mix County. Top Five Rabbits: Champion, Teagan Scheel, Jerauld-Buffalo County; Reserve Champion, Paisley Carter, Clay County; 3rd Overall, Raylynn Sackett, Union County; 4th Overall, Brianna Gilchrist, Tripp County; 5th Overall, Sophie Schott, Bon Homme. Top Five Poultry: Champion, Mauer Jones, Jerauld-Buffalo County; Reserve Champion, Paisley Carter, Clay County; 3rd Overall, Lydia Wonnenberg, Tripp County; 4th Overall, Kenley Rasmussen, Union County; 5th Overall, Luke Laska, Charles Mix County. Top Five Dairy Goats: Champion, Justin Neauharth, Hughes/Stanley County; Reserve Champion Joey Swartzendruber, Hand County; 3rd Overall, Carmindy Ferwerda, Bon Homme County; 4th Overall, Amy Engel, Brule County; 5th Overall, Oakleigh Reis Elwood, Lyman County. Top Five Dairy Cows: Champion, Wiley Reis Elwood, Brule County; Reserve Fisher Beck, Beadle County; 3rd Overall, Zona Serr, Tripp County, 4th Overall, Carmindy Ferwerda, Bon Homme County, 5th Overall, Marissa Leonard, Douglas County