4-H members from around the county gathered at the Garvin County Fairgrounds Sunday for the 2025 Garvin County 4-H Achievement Banquet.
Coinciding with the end of National 4-H Week (Oct. 5-11) the event was a celebration of member accomplishments over the last year and also served to recognize the advisors, family members and community that have supported them in their endeavors.
Special guests included Sen. Jonathan Wingard, Rep. Tammy Townley, and Garvin County Commissioners Randy Chandler and Tom Pyle.
During the program, 4-H members received recognition and certificates for their performance at multiple county contests and for various projects completed over the last year.
Those honors included:
Creative Writing Contest
Grand Champion, Junior Division, Emilee Brandenburg, Maysville;
Reserve Champion, Junior Division, Brynlee Pickett, Elmore City-Pernell;
Grand Champion, Intermediate Division, Charlee Cothren, Stratford;
Grand Champion, Intermediate Division, Josie Barnes, Elmore City-Pernell;
Reserve Champion, Intermediate Division, Nora Howard, Elmore City-Pernell;
Grand Champion, Senior Division, Kolbi Koesler, Stratford;
Reserve Champion, Senior Division, Cade Williams, Lindsay;
Impressive Dress Contest
Grand Champion, Junior Division, Mack Pickett, Elmore City-Pernell;
Reserve Champion, Junior Division, Brynlee Pickett, Elmore City-Pernell;
Grand Champion, Intermediate Division, Gauge Ratzlaff, Lindsay;
Reserve Champion, Intermediate Division, Cadence Ezzell, Elmore City-Pernell;
Grand Champion, Senior Division, Devin Stanley, Elmore City-Pernell;
Reserve Champion, Senior Division, Kally Milligan, Pauls Valley;
Meat Judging
Grand Champion, Junior Division, Jonathon Wright, Stratford;
Reserve Champion, Junior Division, Korbin Hinkle, Stratford;
Grand Champion, Senior Division, Ella Lister, Stratford;
Reserve Champion, Senior Division, Shelby Lister, Stratford;
Communications Contest
Grand Champion, Junior Division Demonstration, Brynlee Pickett, Elmore City-Pernell;
Grand Champion, Junior Division Famous Person, Chloe Jones, Elmore City-Pernell;
Grand Champion, Junior Division Team Demonstration, Ava Somers and Spencer Allen, Lindsay;
Reserve Champion, Junior Division Team Demonstration, Chloe Jones and Brynlee Pickett, Elmore City-Pernell;
Grand Champion, Intermediate Division Demonstration, Paityn Wilkerson, Elmore City-Pernell;
Grand Champion, Intermediate Division Informative Speech, Elise Beach, Maysville;
Grand Champion, Intermediate Division Powerpoint, Tinley Milligan, Pauls Valley;
Grand Champion, Intermediate Division Extemporaneous, Katelynn Stanley, Elmore City-Pernell;
Reserve Champion, Intermediate Division Extemporaneous, Gauge Ratzlaff, Lindsay;
Grand Champion, Intermediate Division Job Readiness, Katelynn Stanley, Elmore City-Pernell;
Reserve Champion, Intermediate Division Job Readiness, Elise Beach, Maysville;
Grand Champion, Intermediate Division Team Demonstration, Jack Bray and Cooper Williams, Lindsay;
Grand Champion, Senior Division Powerpoint, Kally Milligan, Pauls Valley;
Grand Champion, Senior Division Extemporaneous, Kolbi Koesler, Stratford;
Reserve Champion, Senior Division Extemporaneous, Devin Stanley, Elmore City-Pernell;
Grand Champion, Senior Division Job Readiness, Devin Stanley, Elmore City-Pernell;
Reserve Champion, Senior Division Job Readiness, Kolbi Koesler, Stratford;
Skillathon
Grand Champion, Junior Division, Tinley Milligan, Pauls Valley;
Reserve Champion, Junior Division, Shylure Patchell, Pauls Valley;
Grand Champion, Senior Division, Kelsey Thompson, Maysville;
Reserve Champion, Senior Division, Kolbi Koesler, Stratford;
Food Showdown
First place, Junior Division, Jonathan Wright and Korbin Hinkle, Stratford;
Second place, Junior Division, Ava Somers, Bliss Wren and Spencer Allen, Lindsay;
First place, Senior Division, Legend Fowler and Cabren Fowler, Elmore City-Pernell;
Second place, Senior Division, Alana Carroll, of Lindsay; Makena Phelps, of Stratford; and Brylee Moore, of Lindsay;
Record Books
First place, Intermediate Division, Tinley Milligan, Pauls Valley;
Second place, Intermediate Division, Elise Beach, Maysville;
First place, Senior Division, Cooper McKinzie, Wynnewood;
Second place, Senior Division, Kally Milligan, Pauls Valley;
Project Medals
Achievement, Legend Fowler, Elmore City-Pernell;
Goats, Cooper McKinzie, Wynnewood;
Vet Science, Megan Dutton, Lindsay;
Food and Nutrition, Ella Lister, Stratford;
Leadership, McKinzie Kirkhart, Elmore City-Pernell;
Companion Animal, Kolbi Koesler, Stratford;
Community Service/ Public Speaking, Elise Beach, Maysville;
Community Service, Gauge Ratzlaff, Lindsay;
Child Care, Shelby Lister, Stratford;
Horticulture, Tinley Milligan, Pauls Valley;
Fitness/Healthy Living, Kally Milligan, Pauls Valley.
Other awards announced during the banquet included the ‘I Dare You’ Award, created to recognize the achievements and promise of aspiring leaders and civic minded youth. This year’s award was bestowed on three members: Kolbi Koesler, of Stratford; Kally Milligan, of Pauls Valley; and McKinzie Kirkhart, of Elmore City-Pernell.
Lawson Thompson, of Maysville, and Julieanne Wright, of Stratford, were recognized as the 2025 Garvin County 4-H Outstanding Junior Members, and the 2025 Garvin County 4-H Outstanding Intermediate Member awards went to Gauge Ratzlaff, of Lindsay, and Kelsey Thompson, of Maysville. The 2025 Garvin County 4-H Outstanding Senior Member awards went to Kolbi Koesler, of Stratford, and Kally Milligan, of Pauls Valley.
Maysville’s Elise Beach and Lindsay’s Gauge Ratzlaff were both awarded recognition as the 2025 Garvin County 4-H Junior Hall of Fame members.
Megan Dutton, of Lindsay, and Legend Fowler, of Elmore City-Pernell, were named the 2025 Garvin County 4-H Hall of Fame members. Dutton and Fowler both received a Citation of Congratulations from the Oklahoma State Legislature, presented by Sen. Jonathan Wingard and Rep. Tammy Townley, as well as a scholarship from First United Bank in Pauls Valley. Their portraits will hang in the first floor of the Garvin County Courthouse throughout the year.
Elmore City-Pernell FFA advisor Robert Jones received the 2025 Garvin County Honorary 4-H Member recognition, and Chris and Suzanne Mackey, of the Garvin County News Star, were honored to receive recognition as the 2025 Garvin County Friend of the 4-H.
