Very few high school students excel at the level of the Wood County Livestock Judging team which recently
earned reserve champion honors at a prestigious national competition.
At the National Western Stock Show, the team of Kirsten Ameling, Hannah Frobose, Lane Kemner and Logan
Browne represented Ohio after winning the state fair event. All four team members were in the top 20
individually at the event which drew 35 championship teams from across the country and Canada.
The team’s coach, Dan Frobose said, "They are among the stars – the best in the United States. This
is pretty awesome."
"It was exciting to represent Ohio at a national event," Ameling said.
Kemner added, "We represented Ohio and Wood County very well."
Hannah Frobose vocalized what all four believe, "Obviously we wanted to win, but we are really
pleased with how we did."
"I’m glad all our hard work paid off," Browne said, adding, "We didn’t let down the
community and our sponsors."
(A related story with additional details on the contest and placements appears on page 17.)
The team has earned many championships in its years of working together at the local and state level,
however, this is without question the biggest accomplishment.
The event was held in Denver last month, with the Ohio championship team finished just 13 points behind
the event winners representing Texas, 2,256-2,243.
Browne claimed the second high individual award with a score of 757, just four points behind the champion
from Texas.
Frobose was ninth overall with 746; Kemner totaled 740 to rank 15th; while Ameling was right behind in
16th with her 738 total.
One benefit from placing in the top two, is the team earned the right to compete this summer at an
International show in Scotland. However, because of both financial and time restraints, they will likely
pass on the chance.
Coach Frobose, Hannah’s father, said the NWSS draws the largest number of teams and is one of the two
elite contests in North America.
Though they were not representing their school in this event, all four team members are from Eastwood
High School.
They have worked together and been judging as a team for eight years or more.
Browne was awarded a $500 scholarship to Colorado State University for his second place individual honor.
However, he is firmly committed to attend Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. He and his
teammates were all offered scholarships to Butler last year.
Butler has become nationally recognized for its success in the livestock judging arena.
Their coach said they have also all received offers from other schools as well.
The younger Frobose received a $250 scholarship from Colorado State, for her top 10 finish.
Coach Frobose called the team’s performance a more difficult challenge than any student sporting team
winning a state title.
"It’s tough to convey and most people don’t understand how big this is," he said.
Beyond the main event, once they arrived in Colorado, the coach was invited to enter the team in the
National Livestock Quiz Bowl.
Though not originally planned, he coerced the team to enter.
"I told them, ‘I think we need to do this to release some pressure,’" the coach said of his
words to the team. "I entered them in it and they won it."
The coach said they won the early matches fairly easily and in the finals they had a 2-point lead
entering the final bonus round question. That question was worth two points and served as the
tie-breaker if needed.
Just as they did in the judging, the team worked well together in the quiz bowl with Kemner taking second
overall individually. The coach also gave tribute to Browne for making a key strategic move.
Only the first team to buzz in has the chance to answer a question, with a wrong answer costing the team
a point.
Knowing the rules of the contest, Browne rang in early.
"Logan Browne is pretty sharp," Dan Frobose said noting how he buzzed in before the question
was completed and took a stab in the dark at the answer. Though he gave a wrong answer and lost a point,
he prevented the other team from getting two points and earning the tie and victory through the
tie-breaking system.
"That’s using his head and his sharps," the coach said.
"To do that well in that contest without preparation speaks loads for their educational
background," he boasted of the team.