Over one hundred students from across the state will gather in Brookings on June 15-16 for a chance to compete, learn, and even earn a trip to national livestock competitions.

While this isn’t a new idea to have statewide youth-in-action contests, South Dakota 4-H is taking a new approach to how they facilitate their summer events. Previously, the state 4-H livestock judging and skill-a-thon competitions were held in September, but decreased participation numbers caused state staff to reconsider timing.

According to SD 4-H Livestock Program Manager, Kelsey VanderWal, the new Clover Classic is intended to answer participation challenges while also adding new student learning opportunities like poultry and meat judging.