DENVER — The Austin County 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl team has returned home from the Western National Roundup in Denver, Colo., with a new title – National Champions!
To understand what a valiant effort and achievement this is for participants, it’s necessary to return to the beginning of their journey. Training for the livestock quiz bowl begins right here in Austin County when 4-H members begin learning the livestock resources, studying question data banks, and understanding how the buzzer system for the game works. Teams, formed and coached by Janet and Rodney Melnar, competed at the District 11 contest in Victoria in April.
Teams must place first through third to advance and compete in the State 4-H Roundup Livestock Quiz Bowl Compe- tition in College Station the first week of June. The qualification for the Western National Roundup is through winning the State 4-H Roundup competition.
The Western National Roundup Livestock Quiz Bowl Competition is structured into three phases through a double-elimination bracket gaming system. The first phase consists of three rounds, or 12 “head-to-head” questions, where each chair is asked a question, competing directly against the defending chair sitting across from them. No team discussion is allowed during the head-to-head phase.
Phase two consists of 10 alternating team questions where a question is asked, team members have 10 seconds of discussion, and the team captain buzzes in to answer or defer the answer to another chair on behalf of the team. Phase three is considered the toss-up round, where any competitor can buzz in and answer the 16 remaining questions but cannot discuss their answers before responding.
In the toss-up round, there are bonus questions attached to some questions that, when correctly answered, earn the team three extra points.
Austin County 4-H Team members are all Bellville High School students that are junior grade level: Katelyn Krenek - Team Captain and Chair One; Madilyn McCullough - Chair Two; Darcy Luedke - Chair Three and Katie Schumann - Chair Four.
The team flew in on Jan. 7, and con tinued studying nonstop with Coach Janet Melnar until contest day on Jan. 9. Though knowledgeable of all the species’ resources, each of the team members was considered an expert in spe- cific species areas and was quick to the buzzer during the toss-up rounds when the moderator began a question over their species expertise. Throughout their multiple games, Team Texas racked up team participation points - two bonus points awarded when every member of a team has answered a question correctly during phase one or phase three.
Team Texas started in the bracket playing Idaho, moving on to challenge Colorado, before competing against Alaska and finally Minnesota before reaching the semifinals.
The team from Austin County had already defeated Colorado, sending them into the losers’ bracket, before meeting them again in the semifinals.
After leading every game by a minimum of eight points, the energy shifted in the game room and had the audience on pins and needles when Colorado had the opportunity to answer a bonus question and edged into the lead, winning Game 18. It was a nail-biting experience for the audience as they watched Austin Coun- ty rallying to attempt to win the final, Game 19.
The team was ahead by two at the end of phase three when they heard the moderator announce the final question had a bonus attached, meaning whoever answered that question correctly could potentially gain four points in total. The final question would ultimately decide the National Championship.
Through phenomenal gamesmanship coached by Melnar, Madilyn Mc- Cullough buzzed in for the final ques tion, and a celebration began as Austin County 4-H was named Western National Roundup Livestock Quiz Bowl Champions. In addition to the team’s success, Katelyn Krenek was named fourth High Point Individual overall during the awards ceremony.
McCullough was named Champion High Point Individual with her total of 32 points gained being the highest scoring individual on record for the Western National Roundup Livestock Quiz Bowl Competition.
Congratulations to the Austin County 4-H, District 11 4-H, and Texas 4-H Team on their well-deserved success.
