There will be a Junior Goat Skillathon on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at the Washington County Agricultural Education Center near Boonsboro, Maryland. The skillathon will be held in conjunction with the annual Western Maryland Goat Field Day & Sale.

The Junior Goat Skillathon is open to any youth between the ages of 8 and 18. Youth will compete according to their age as of January, 1, 2011: juniors, 8-10; intermediates, 11-13; and seniors, 14-18. The skillathon will cover all aspects of goat production: meat, dairy, and fiber.

To register for the Junior Goat Skillathon, send your name, age (or birth date), and contact information to Susan Schoenian at the Western Maryland Research & Education Center, 18330 Keedysville Road, Keedysville, MD 21756; (301) 432-2767 x343; or sschoen@umd.edu. Pre-registration is requested by Monday, September 19, 2011.

Maryland sent two teams to compete at the 4-H National Shooting Sports Invitational held in San Antonio, Texas the week of June 19-25. Each team consisted of four 4-H members. 470 youth & over 1200 family members, coaches & 4-H volunteers from 30 states participated in the National 4-H Invitational shoot.

The shotgun competition was comprised of 100 targets each in Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays. There were 20 Shotgun teams with 78 youth representing 20 states entered in this event.

The Maryland 4-H Shotgun Team brought home 3^rd Place Overall with 2 individuals placing in the top 10. Mike Jackson (Kent County) was 4^th place overall and Logan Charles (Charles County) was 10^th place overall. Additional Results include: Skeet � Team placing 3^rd; Skeet Individuals- Logan Charles 9^th; Sporting Clays- Team Placing 2^nd; Sporting Clays Individuals-Mike Jackson 3^rd place & Mike Johnson 8^th place; Trap-Team placing 5^th. Team members included: (L to R) Logan Charles (Charles Co.); Jesse Downey (Kent County), Bryan Michael Jackson (Kent Co.) and Mike Johnson (Carroll County) Not pictured - Team Coach is Jack Kemp (Kent County).

The National 4-H Archery Competition involved youth shooting three events including Field, FITA and 3D Courses. There were 17 Archery teams with 72 youth representing 17 states entered in this event. The Maryland 4-H Compound Archery Team brought home 8^th Place Overall with Travis Gesell (Carroll County) Placing 3^rd Overall Individual.

Additional Results include: Field Round-Travis Gesell 2nd and FITA Round � Travis Gesell 2^nd . The Maryland Team placed 3^rd in the FITA event. Archery Team Members included: (L to R) Shelby Stevens, Travis Gesell & Kyle Lawrence (Carroll County) and Josh Trenary (Cecil County). Team Coach is Stanley Trice (Dorchester County).

Full event results can be found at www.4-hshootingsports.org

Congratulations to all the team members on their awesome performances at the Nationals!!

On Sunday, prior to the competition, the Maryland delegation toured the Alamo and River Walk in downtown San Antonio. Following the competition, the group was treated to a tour of the Bar E Hunting Ranch in Hondo, TX, where they saw a variety of wildlife including Aoudad Sheep, Axis Deer, Blackbuck Antelope, Buffalo, Red Stag and various species of Horned Sheep & Goats. The Maryland 4-H delegation included 8 team members, 2 coaches, 8 parents & family members and Conrad Arnold, Extension 4-H Educator, Dorchester County & Maryland State 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator who also serves on the National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee.

This trip would not have been possible without donations from the following :

Maryland 4-H Foundation, Maryland 4-H Shooting Sports Committee, Maryland Ag Fair Board, Chesapeake Chapter Safari Club International Sables, Chesapeake Chapter Safari Club International, Maryland Sporting Clays Assoc., Beretta USA, Kent County 4-H, Carroll County 4-H, Cecil County 4-H, Kent County Gun Club and Sudlersville Skeet Club, New Windsor State Bank, James Cruson, Jr., Christine & Charles Corkell, Maryland 4-H Center, the University of Maryland College of Agriculture & University of Maryland Extension.

Team members and coaches also wish to say Thank You to Shotgun Team Alternate, Tyler Thompson (Kent Co.), Archery Team Alternate, Jake McThenia (Carroll Co.) and other members of the State Teams Practice Squads.

4-H members from clubs on military installations will visit the State Fair on Friday, August 26 from 10 a.m. � 2 p.m. We�re looking for 4-H members to serve as group leaders for these club members as they explore the fair. We also invite 4-H members to volunteer to host hands-on activities in the 4-H building that day. Lunch will be provided! Interested clubs/members can contact Kendra Wells at the Maryland 4-H Center � klwells@umd.edu or 301-314-7831.

STATE FAIR � Human Science Reminders:

1. 4-H Building Workers � We are still in need of 4-Her Building Workers to answer questions, roam the building, help 4-H families find their ribbons, smile, have fun, help with make it and take it crafts. Workers can pick the days that suit their schedules and be paid to be a helper. We�ll start on August 24th and run through September 6th � if you�d like to work a few days or a LOT of days � contact Linda Garner or Sandy Corridon.

2. State 4-H Fashion Show � It�s getting closer. Remind participants at your county/city Fashion Show that they can be a part of the State Fashion Show. The top two seniors in each class (see Section X � Fashion Show in the State Fair Book � there are 16 classes to choose from.) can enter in the State 4-H Fashion Show. Fashion Revue participants should plan to spend Labor Day � Monday at the Maryland State Fair from about 9:30 a.m. until the conclusion of the Fashion Show which starts at 4 p.m. in the 4-H Building. Two thirteen year olds are also welcome to participate � the forms are to be mailed to Lacie Ashby in the Allegany County Extension Office by July 31st. Forms are on the Human Science page of our www.maryland4h.org website.

3. 4-H Presents � Take advantage of the Stage time in the 4-H Building � sign up for a Speech/Demonstration/ Mini Fashion Revue/ - showcase your 4-H work as an individual, a club, a group on the Stage in the 4-H Building � sign up as you fill out your State Fair Registrations � for 4-H Presents. Send the last page of the premium book into the Maryland 4-H Center by July 31st. Any questions contact Sandy Corridon or Nia Fields, 4-H Presents Superintendent.

4. Purchase Power � Check out the Human Science page for the Purchase Power resources. Plan to come to the State Fair on the first Saturday, August 27^th to participate. Come as individuals, come as teams � come and put your consumer skills to use!

5. 4-H Egg Preparation Demonstration � Promote this to senior 4-H members in this way. If you like to give 4-H food demonstrations, if you enjoy encouraging folks to eat healthy, if you have a foods project, a poultry project or have an interest in agriculture particularly the poultry industry � this event is for YOU! The winner of the State Contest will travel to Louisville, KY with the State 4-H Poultry Judging Team. If you are interested contact Sandy Corridon � and send in the form at the end of Section X.

Nutrition Task Force: 4-H Faculty � we certainly want to be a voice on the direction of nutrition programming for the University of Maryland Extension. Dr. Patsy Ezell has instituted a Nutrition Task Force to provide a �seamless� statewide nutrition program with shared statewide outcomes that document our program effectiveness and impacts. There are three subcommittee that are just now establishing their FIRST MEETINGS � be a part of the team � have a youth voice. Contact Sandy Corridon and become a member of this Task Force. The goal is to have our plans ready for IEP�s so by October this Task Force will have their job done. Join a team!