The Mason County 4-H Skill-a-thon Team completed at the North American International Livestock Exposition National 4-H Livestock Skill-a-thon competition on November 17, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky. Twenty-one teams representing their states embarked on the five-hour contest consisting of seven individual classes and six team components. Mason County 4-H represented the state of Texas well by securing third place in the nation, tying the highest place a Texas team has ever achieved.
For the past three years, Phoenix Arrazola, Hannah Holbrook, Ava McCrea, and Cooper Landre spent countless hours studying the general livestock industry, breeds, feeds, reproduction, marketing, management, breeding, selection, and quality assurance and evaluating wool, hay, retail meat cuts, and carcass classes. As some of those who assisted in their training noted, much of what was learned was graduate- level material. While the team members might not pursue careers in agriculture, they take away life-long skills in decision-making, cooperation, teamwork, perseverance, and reasoning.
During the day between the contest and awards, the team took in the culture of Louisville and Kentucky. They visited Churchill Downs, the Louisville Slugger Museum, Keeneland racetrack and castle, drove backroads enjoying the countryside and beautiful farms, saw Daniel Boone’s grave in historic Frankfort, and enjoyed the festive Christmas Lights Under Louisville.
