4-H has gone to the dogs, and that's a good thing
More than 150 dogs competed with their owners for championship honors in the 2017 Illinois 4-H State Dog Show held Aug. 26 and 27 at the Dog Training Club of Champaign Urbana. Hadley Shaw of Woodstock placed first in the Beginner Novice 1 division. Other participants from McHenry County included Teagan Dobis, Lacie Hamiel, Nicole Behm, Aiden Cook and Annika Kohls.
To get to this level of competition, 4-H members devote months of training, said Dan Jennings, University of Illinois Extension animal science educator.
"Not only do the dogs have to perform the required tasks, but they must do so in a new environment surrounded by new noises and distractions, including several other dogs in the same arena," Jennings said.
Danielle Stuber of Tazewell County claimed the beginner high point award with a score of 197.5. She exhibited in the beginner novice II division.
Frances O'Donnel of Champaign County received the Deborah Orr Memorial Award for scoring the highest number of points (192.5) in the novice class. The cash award honors the late Deborah Orr who was active in the Kane County dog obedience program.
Hadley Shaw of McHenry County took first place in the beginner novice 1 division.
Other top finishers included Vincent Stewart of Kendall County, second; Allison Abell of Lee County, third; Adelynn McNamara of McLean County, fourth; and Samantha Zellers of Lee County, fifth.
In addition to Stuber, other top finishers in the beginner novice II division included Faith Foster of Ford County, second; Taylor Clark of Edgar County, third; Casey Engelhorn of McLean County, fourth; and Cassidy Vincent of Ogle County, fifth.
Duncan Hughes of Champaign County earned first place in the pre-novice division, followed by Megan Schmid of Vermilion County, second; Landon Wubker of Cass County, third; Trevor White of Lee County, fourth; and Grace Little of Knox County, fifth.
In addition to O'Donnel, other top finishers in the novice division included Laryn Fisher of Edwards County, second; Joseph Butzen of Kankakee County, third; Thalia Jimenez of Knox County, fourth; and Teagan Dobis of McHenry County, fifth.
Youth competed in the showmanship divisions Sunday, Aug. 27. Livia Dodd of Henry County earned the first place in the junior showmanship division, followed by Hannah Close of Rock Island County, second; Thalia Jimenez of Knox County, third; Faith Bailey of Piatt County, fourth; and Lacie Hamiel of McHenry County, fifth.