Well Done!  Teton County Shooting Sports Team

Congratulations to the following members of the Teton County Shooting Sports team who attended the at the Montana 4-H State Shoot:  Josiah Bacon, Kyndal Becker, Izzy Cornelius, Crew Egbert, Kingston Egbert, Lexi Egbert, Gibson Franks, Hannah Meyer, Leah Paulson, Blaise Skierka, Michaela Skierka, Jack Tacke and Rebekah Wall.

Welcome, Danae Isakson!

Join us in welcoming Danae Isakson to the Teton County MSU Extension Office!We are excited to have her join our team!Her first day was March 26.If you’re in Choteau, stop by and say hello.

On the Horizon

March 31

  • Swine possession deadline; paperwork, photos, fees Extension Office, Tuesday at 5 p.m.

April 1

  • 4-H Camp Registration opens on ZSuite under 'Events'

April 6

  • Livestock Committee Meeting; Fairfield, New Life Church, Mon at 6 p.m.

April 7

  • Lamb/Goat Possession Deadline, paperwork, photos, fees due at the Extension Office, Tues by 5 p.m.

April 15

  • Project Drop/Add Deadline: Wed at 5 p.m.

April 19-25

  • 4-H Volunteer Appreciation Week

April 25

  • Meat Science Education Day, 1-4:30 p.m. in Townsend, MT, Find out more below

April 26

  • All-Species Showmanship, Livestock Quality Assurance, and Nutrition event-see below

May 1

  • Fair Registration Opens

May 3

  • Swine LQA at Pearson’s, Sunday at 3 p.m.

May 17

  • 4-H Poultry and Rabbit show (Practice for Fair!)-see below

May 19

  • 4-H Camp Registration Closes

May 29

  • Fair Registration Closes

June 7-10

  • 4-H Camp at Camp Rotary

June 24-28

  • 4-H Fair Week!  Interview Judging, Livestock Show, Sale

Teton County's Rocky Moutain Top Shots Compete at the State Meet in Bozeman

by Coach Loren Tacke

On March 7-8, Teton County’s 4-H shooting sports team, the Rocky Mountain Top Shots, traveled to Bozeman to compete at the state meet. With more than 500 competitors entered in a variety of events, the Top Shots proved exactly why they are regarded as one of the premier programs in Montana.

The team was led by a veteran group of senior shooters: Leah Paulson, Rebekah Wall, Kyndal Becker, Hannah Meyer, Izzy Cornelius, and Jack Tacke. These athletes served as the backbone of the team throughout the weekend. The veteran shooters demonstrated composure and focus, showcasing skills that have been refined through years of practice while competing at the highest level.

While the experienced shooters set the tone, the future of the program was equally promising. The team welcomed several first-time shooters to the state stage, including Josiah Bacon, Lexi Egbert, Crew Egbert, Kingston Egbert, and Gibson Franks. Despite the pressure of a large and competitive field, these newcomers showed confidence and determination while gaining valuable experience competing at the state level.

The Rocky Mountain Top Shots were coached by head coach Brian Bedord, along with assistant coaches Alan Peace and Chris Tacke. The coaching staff emphasized that the weekend’s success was truly a team effort. As a program, they continue to build a culture of excellence while helping young shooters develop not only their shooting abilities but also responsibility, discipline, and sportsmanship.

According to Loren Tacke, the county shooting sports coordinator, the team’s performance reflected the dedication and preparation that went into the season. “The team really demonstrated why we are one of Montana’s top teams,” Tacke said. “Many of our young shooters shot personal records and continued to show maturity and growth in the sport while veteran shooters stepped up as leaders, setting the example through their focus, discipline, and commitment to helping the entire team succeed.”

The coaches noted that while medals and placements are exciting accomplishments, the real success comes from the values the program instills in its members. Hard work, teamwork, and dedication continue to define the Rocky Mountain Top Shots and are the foundation of the program’s ongoing success.

The team and coaches would also like to thank the parents and families for their support and commitment throughout the season. Their encouragement and involvement play an important role in the continued growth of the program.

With another successful state meet behind them, the Rocky Mountain Top Shots look forward to building on their achievements and continuing a tradition of excellence in the years to come.

Teton County 4-H Communications Day Highlights

Teton County 4‑H members brought big energy to Communications Day on Saturday, March 14, at Power Public School, where the Challenging Champs 4‑H Club hosted a fantastic event! Youth impressed judges and supporters with creative presentations, confident public speaking, and plenty of 4‑H spirit. Despite winter weather challenges, participants showed up ready to shine - building skills, cheering each other on, and representing their clubs with pride. What an awesome day of learning, leadership, and communication growth for our 4‑H community!

Seniors (ages 14 and up)

Annika Konen, Spring Creek: Cross Country

*Grand Champion:  Waverly Konen, Spring Creek:  Tea-Riffic Tea Party Tips  

Anna Paulson, Spring Creek: More Bites of Beef

Leah Paulson, Spring Creek: More Than Just a 10

Juniors (ages 11-13)

Iris Carlson, Spring Creek: My Plate

Lily Carlson, Spring Creek:Declan’s Sweet Ride

*Reserve Winner:  Ben Diekhans, Challenging Champs:  Magic Tricks

Claira Duty, Spring Creek: Pocket Pet Playtime

Abigail Toeckes, Challenging Champs: The Sun and Moon Systems

Caleb Toeckes and Calvin Diekhans, Challenging Champs: Stir ups

Alisha Williams, Spring Creek: Caring for Rabbits

Teen Ambassadors-Emceed and Judged Event

Ayden DeBruycker

Nolan DeBruycker

Annie Diekhans

4-H Club Adult Volunteer Spotlights

Ryan Pfeifleis a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer for the Challenging Champs 4-H Club, making a lasting impact through his leadership of the Robotics program. He leads with passion and determination, inspiring members to explore, learn, and grow in their understanding of robotics. Ryan generously shares his knowledge and skills, helping members build confidence and develop new abilities in a hands-on and engaging way. His commitment to teaching and mentoring has made the Robotics club a valuable and exciting part of our Challenging Champs 4-H.

Laura Toeckes is a dedicated and valued volunteer for the Challenging Champs 4-H Club. She has generously given countless hours of her time and energy, especially through her work on our Power All-School Reunion luncheon last summer. Laura took charge of planning the menu, purchasing all the ingredients, coordinating our 4-H members with the cooking and baking of the meals, and assigning shifts for the members to work. Attendees of the lunch commented that our club’s meal was better than catered meals they have been served. Laura also recently put much effort into planning, creating and serving lunch at our Teton County 4-H Communication Day.Laura has committed time to our Cloverbuds program and our photography project members. She consistently shows up to nearly all our club events eager to help and serve our club.

Deanna Burgmaier is known around Teton County as a quilting and sewing leader, but she is so much more. Deanna was the Challenging Champs organizational leader for more years than we can count, she served on Leader’s Council, she was the head of 4-H camp for many years and has led many volunteer projects to get members involved in making their community better. Deanna is currently the Cloverbuds leader for Challenging Champs. Over the years, she has helped members sew miles and miles of quilts and guided countless sewing projects. Every club needs a leader like Deanna!

Adult volunteers within the Eager Eagles 4-H Club are vital in creating an educational and supportive environment for our 4-H youth. Our volunteers help 4-H members gain hands-on experience and confidence in many ways by sharing their knowledge and dedication to our members as both instructors and mentors. Their commitment has built a close-knit club where members feel supported and motivated to try new projects, have new experiences, encourage others, and continue 4-H membership long term. Eager Eagles adult volunteers create a village and because of them our 4-H members, pre-junior to senior, feel welcome and eager to participate.

  • Lynda Allen
  • Melissa DeBruycker
  • Ryan DeBruycker
  • Kelly DeBruycker
  • Coy Egbert
  • Katie Egbert
  • Rocky Forseth
  • Holly Hamilton
  • Hillary Killorn
  • Ashle Morris
  • Heidi Pearson
  • Christina Skinner
  • Chris Skinner
  • Brad Williams
  • Patricia Williams

Eager Eagles 4-H Volunteers are Dedicated to 4-H Youth as:

  • Club leaders
  • Project leaders (cooking, poultry, rabbit)
  • Beef and swine superintendents
  • Hosts that provide education at Livestock Quality Assurance Events
  • Assist with Communications Day
  • Participate in 4-H Committees (Meat & Greet, Livestock, Communications, Fair)
  • Livestock Committee officers (secretary & treasurer)
  • Participate with youth for Adopt a Highway clean-up
  • Assist with Shooting Sports
  • Livestock record book judges during 4-H Fair
  • Assist with clean-up after “Get Your Kicks at 6”
  • Provide bake sale items for annual bake sale service project
  • Provide planted flowerpots for annual Flowerpot Fundraiser
  • Help at 4-H Fair with textiles and livestock
  • Willing to give assistance and knowledge with many different projects at anytime

Livestock Ready Clinic

This event includes 4-H LQA, showmanship, and feed representative for all species.

When:  April 26, 2026

132 Stevenson Road, Sun River, MT

10 a.m. - Sheep and Goats

12:45 p.m. - Pigs

2 p.m. - Beef

We encourage members to bring their animals.  You are able to check their weight to see if they are on track!

Be ready to engage and talk about your animal!  

Lunch will be provided by a special sponsor at noon!

What you will learn:  Daily Care, Feed, Showmanship

To RSVP, please contact Katy Morris at 406-590-5467.

Please mention the species and the number of animals you are bringing!

4-H Poultry & Rabbit Show

Multi-county, with co-judges Mandie Reed, Wheatland County and Jack Ward, Teton County

There will be snacks and fun prizes!

This will be a practice show for kids who want to practice before the Fair, to fee more comfortable!!

When:  Sunday, May 17, 2026 at 2 p.m.

Where:  The Choteau Volunteer Fire Hall at 02- 8th Ave NW, Choteau, MT 59422

Hosted by Hannah, youth member of Teton County 4-H

Please RSVP by May 12, to Hannah at 406-590-2283.

Time to Register for 4-H Camp

Camp will be held at Camp Rotary in Neihart from Sunday, June 7 - Wednesday, June 10

Parents will ned to provide transportation to and from Camp Rotary.

Teton County Camp Counselors:  Annika Konen, Grace Toeckes, Isaac Toeckes, Jack Toeckes, Jessica Toeckes

Registration:  Camp registration is open on ZSuite and will close on May 15.

A packing list will be sent to registered campers.

4-H & FFA Meat Science Education Day

April 25 - 1-4:30 p.m. at Townsend Schools, 210 N. Pine, Townsend, MT 59644

Program Highlights

A farm to fork experience of meat science featuring hands-on activities that explore:

  • Meat processing
  • Relationship between animal care, quality assurance practices and meat quality
  • Kitchen chemistry and cooking
  • Meat and food safety

All livestock species represented including rabbit poultry.

Meat tastings including goat, lamb and rabbit

Open to 4-H and FFA members, ages 8-18

Cost: $10

Pre-registration required.  Opens in March

For more information:

Call 406-266-9242 or email broadwater@montana.edu

If you need special accommodations or have questions about physical access, please contact the MSU Extension Office in Broadwater County in advance of your participation or visit.

Hosted by the Broadwater County 4-H Livestock Committee.

2026 Teton County Club Rotations

Clubs it's time to begin planning for your role in the Fair. Include the youth in your club to brainstorm ideas and to take part in the decision-making process to meet your club’s responsibilities.

A good strategy is to create sign-up sheets, with specific tasks, days, and times for families.

The Extension Office will send club leaders a more detailed explanation of each task.Please ask questions to the office if you have them!

Challenging Champs

  • Provide hospitality for Interview Judges
  • Create the 4-H Exhibit Hall Display

Eager Eagles

  • Exhibit Hall Set Up
  • Exhibit Hall Maintenance during Fair
  • Exhibit Hall Clean Up
  • Recruit Greeters for Exhibit Hall

Old Agency

  • Meat and Greet (coordinate 4-H baked good and staff the buffet line, clean up after Meat and Greet)

Spring Creek

  • Concessions (option to make and sell yummies -or- recruit food trucks!)
  • Weatherbeater Daily Facility Maintenance

4-H Fair is one of those special life events that makes forever memories...

  • Vote for a Fair Theme by Mon, April 6 at 12 noon (Watch your email!)
  • Coming soon:  Dates for Swine and Lamb/Goat in-person Livestock Quality Assurance (LQA) with superintendents.  Remember, 1 in-person LQA per year, minimum, is required.  Dates will be sent by text or email.
  • Note that 4-H senior member Katy Morris is teaching an LQA on April 26, and junior member Hannah Meyer is hosting apoultry and rabbit show on May 17!  Way to go, ladies.  That's great leadership!

Club Commotion

Eager Eagles

Member of the Eager Eagles 4-H Club presented check for $215 to the Fairfield Historical Society as well as the Fairfield Junior Women to help with the buidling of their Little Town in the Fairfield City Park.  The Eager Eagles club members donated 200 eggs filled with cany to the Fairfield Easter Egg Hunt.  Club members also held a bake sale at the Fairfield Christmas Stroll.  The profits when to the Fairfield Historial Society and Fairfield Junior Women's Club.

Spring Creek

The Spring Creek 4-H  Club hosted a Friends and Family 4-H Dance.

Club Leadership Corner

Involve your club in planning for the upcoming 4-H year.

At the end of this 4-H year, we will have a countywide Leaders Retreat to share ideas, grow new ones, and build a better Teton County 4-H together!

Please help schedule this meeting.

At this meeting, we will do a workshop to complete the 4-H Club Yearly Plan.

Check out tips and tricks for planning the club year.

Learn how to use a great brainstorming tool with your club to create your plan.

March 4-H Council Meeting

At the March 4-H Council meeting, we used this strategy to make decisions on 4-H policies.We were able to cover a lot of ground and come to consensus quickly.All parents and youth were involved and made new friends. If you have questions about how to do this, or would like Shelby to facilitate this at your next meeting, please contact the Extension Office.

Club Youth Game/Recreation Leader

How well do your club members know each other's names (parents too)?

Find out and...Play the Circle Toss Name Game

To play this game you will need several small items that can be easily tossed.First everyone makes a big circle.Next, toss the item to a person across from you as you say their name.They then toss the item to another person across from them and say their name.Continue this until you are the last person and the item comes back to you.This is the pattern. Repeat the pattern by tossing the item once or twice until everyone can learn the pattern.Then make it harder by adding more items to toss, keeping the same pattern. This is a great welcoming game to play and connect before your club’s business meeting.

2026-2027 Leadership Opportunity!

Seeking a 4-H Council Vice President for the 26-27 4-H Year. Nominate someone from your club!If they are willing to participate, they should plan to attend the September 20264-H Council meeting.

Intermountain & Beyond the Beartooths

Livestock Judging Camp

Youth and Adult Instruction

May 28-30, 2026

Carbon County Fairgrounds

96 Rodeo Road, Red Lodge, MT 

Youth Registration:  $100

Adult Registration: $150

***Does not include lodging***  Free camping available at fairgrounds

Coaches:  Sierra Meyers & Nolan Hildebrand, Linn-Benton Community College

Abby Johnson:  Auburn University

Register on ZSuite by May 15

Questions?  Contact:

Sarah-Jane French, sarahjane.french@montana.edu or 406-322-8035

Amber Elliott, amber.elliott1@montana.edu or 406-962-3522

Contact Us!  MSU Extension Teton County

Fair Dates

The Teton County Fair is scheduled for the last full weekend in June that includes a Sunday.
2026    June 22-28

2027    June 21-27

Camp Dates

2026   June 6-10 @ Camp Rotary

4-H Congress Dates, Bozeman

2026   July 7-10

 

Agents:

Shelby Jones-Dozier shelby.jonesdozier@montana.edu
Jenn Swanson  jenn.swanson@montana.edu

Assistant:

Danae Isakson and Jamie Smith  teton@montana.edu

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and the Montana State University Extension Service prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cody Stone, Director, Extension Service, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717