It was an evening to honour hard work, determination and commitment.
Three local 4-H beef clubs — Central Ponoka, East Ponoka and West Ponoka — held their annual combined awards banquet at the Ponoka Legion on June 3 to recognize the efforts of the members that won club and inter-club honours during the past season.
Awards were handed out in categories that included showmanship, grooming, record keeping and public speaking along with how well the members did with their cattle during the season.
The recipients were:
Central Ponoka, Junior — Wyatt McAllister: inter-club grand champion showmanship, club champion showmanship, inter-club reserve grand champion grooming, club champion grooming, club champion steer, club reserve champion cow/calf and first place record keeping, public speaking and judging.
Senior — Jallelle Nichols-Bowie: crafty chef award, first place record keeping, third place judging; Hannah Stretch: best show etiquette, second place rate of gain; Jesse Stretch: second place public speaking and judging; Jonathan Newman: club champion heifer, first place presentations; Kaitlin Malterer: inter-club reserve grand champion cow/calf, club champion cow/calf, inter-club grand champion judging; first place club judging, club reserve champion grooming, first place presentations; Alex Buskens: inter-club grand champion showmanship, club champion showmanship, inter-club reserve grand champion grooming, club champion grooming, club reserve champion heifer, first place presentations; Grace L’Ecluse: club reserve champion steer, first club rate of gain, club reserve champion showmanship, first place public speaking.
East Ponoka, Junior — Trace Tonneson: first place showmanship, grooming, second place public speaking; Brooklynn Olson: second place showmanship, first place public speaking, judging; Carter Gustafson: second place grooming.
Intermediate — Julianna Harvey: club champion cow/calf, club champion heifer, first place presentations, judging; Brenden Gustafson: first place showmanship; Colby Padgham: second place showmanship, grooming, highest rate of gain, first place public speaking, judging; Tade Tonneson: first place grooming; Isaac McCaughey: second place public speaking.
Senior — Dakotah Nichols: club champion steer, second place grooming; Megan Bolton: reserve champion steer, reserve champion heifer, reserve champion cow/calf, first place public speaking; Julianna Harvey: first place showmanship, presentations; Tasha Kjenner: second place showmanship; Tawni Kjenner: first place grooming, second place public speaking.
West Ponoka, Junior — Addison McKinney: second place grooming; Quaid McKinney: first place showmanship, grooming, public speaking, inter-club reserve champion showmanship, inter-club reserve champion grooming; Jestin Jacklin: second place showmanship; Jake Sheppard: first place judging, club reserve champion cow/calf.
Intermediate — Colter Bresee: second place showmanship, first place grooming, inter-club grand champion showmanship, inter-club grand champion grooming, inter-club grand champion steer; Dylan Shaw: second place grooming; Levi Harbin: first place showmanship, grooming, judging, inter-club reserve champion judging, inter-club reserve champion showmanship; Jace Jacklin: first place public speaking; Emily Cline: club reserve champion heifer.
Senior — Brandon Shaw: reserve club champion steer; Lisa Winter: first place showmanship, grooming, judging, inter-club reserve champion showmanship, inter-club grand champion grooming; Patrice Stalder: first place public speaking, second place showmanship; Sadie Haan: highest rate of gain, inter-club highest rate of gain; Troy Mantai: club champion steer, club champion heifer, inter-club reserve champion steer; second place grooming; Emily Hagemann: club champion cow/calf.