REFUGE RANGER Bailey Muehlbauer of Becker who attends school in Big Lake won grand champion or purple ribbon for her pig and will compete at state fair next week.
OLIVIA BOND of Becker and member of Refuge Rangers won the purple champion ribbon at Sherburne County Fair with her Boer goats and is heading to state fair next week. (Photo by Gloria Vande Brake)
Seventeen members of the 4-H Refuge Rangers will be bringing their award-winning 4-H projects to the Minnesota State Fair next week, hoping to win state ribbons.
“Any 4-H project who received a blue ribbon from Sherburne County Fair is eligible to go to the state fair,” explained 4- H Program Coordinator Danielle Ganje, “but the judge makes a line-up or ranked list of qualifiers.
“Then the member gets to choose if they accept that trip,” added Ganje. “They can only go with one animal project and one other individual project.”
The Refuge Rangers winning the purple or highest ribbon at the county fair and heading to the state fair are Olivia Bond of Becker with her goat, Corrine Gallagher of Elk River in aerospace, Samantha Mekeland of Clear Lake in fishing sports, Bailey Muehlbauer of Becker; who attends school in Big Lake with her pig and Blazden Mueller of Big Lake in vet science.
Refuge Rangers receiving lavender or the second highest ribbons at the county fair and competing at the state fair are Avery Anderson of Big Lake in wildlife biology, Olivia Bond in exploring animals and Kami Janssen of Becker with her horse.
Rangers with blue ribbons and heading to state fair are Emilia Bond of Becker with rabbit, Kurt Haugen of Elk River in photography, Kyle Haugen of Elk River in indoor gardening, Samantha McCormack of Big Lake with her rabbit, Kayla Meyer of Becker in photography, Bailey Muehlbauer in photography, Taylor Muehlbauer of Becker who attends school in Big Lake in performing arts, Blazden Mueller with her goat, Dashton Mueller of Big Lake with her rabbit and Eve Otteson with her horse.
“Our members with livestock will be at the state fair Aug. 22-25,” informed Refuge Ranger leader Sherry Muehlbauer, “with the others coming Aug. 29-31.”
Older youth in the club wrote a six-minute Share the Fun skit reenacting the TV show “Explore America” but focusing on Minnesota and 4-H. They received a purple ribbon at the county fair and will perform at the state fair at 6:30 pm Aug. 30. Youth performing in the skit include Kayla Meyer, Bailey and Taylor Muehlbauer, Blazden Mueller, Connor Shafer of Clear Lake and Abigail Schaufel of Big Lake.