Block and Bridle Honors Banquet
On April 14th, the Block and Bridle Club invited faculty, supporters, parents, and industry leaders to the annual banquet on Nebraska Innovation Campus. This year’s banquet was part of the Animal Science Alumni Reunion Weekend.
Greg Ibach was chosen as the 2018 Block and Bridle Club Honoree. He was nominated by members of the gricultural industry and voted on by the club officers and advisors, along with the Animal Science Department Head. An award was presented to Greg by Club Officers and a portrait to be hung the Animal Science Building Hall of Fame was presented by Animal Science Department Head, Dr. Clint Krehbiel. We are grateful that Greg and his family were able to attend to receive this honor and for all that Greg does for the agricultural community.
The rest of the banquet reflected on the Block and Bridle Club and events that were hosted throughout the year. Members were congratulated for their commitment and involvement to the club and academics.
The new officer team for the 2018-2019 school year were introduced. They are:
Sheridan Swotek: President
Abby Durheim: Vice-President-Beef
Magdalene O’Brien: Vice President-Pork
Chelsea Bryant: Secretary
Megan Eickhoff: Treasurer
Kurt Nelson: Historian
Hannah Lowe: Marshall
Fina Choat: Ambassador
The following is a list of the Block and Bridle Club Award winners. These are awarded based on club attendance, involvement and academics:
Outstanding Initiate: Megan Eichoff
Megan is a freshman from Falls City, NE currently in the pre-vet program. As a new member she immediately became involved with the Steak Fry and has since attended and been active in all events throughout the year as well as attending the monthly meetings. Her leadership and interest in agricultural started in high school with her position of FFA President and Parliamentarian. She was also a 4-H Officer. She is currently active in the pre-vet club as well as the Block and Bridle Club
Outstanding Sophomore Activities: Madison Jones
Madison comes from Papillion and is a sophomore majoring in Animal Science with an interest in Food Animal Production and Management. Madison joined the Block and Bridle Club last year as a freshman and has been active within the club ever since. This year she was voted in as Treasurer and has done a fantastic job with the club’s finances. Her first responsibility this year was to reach out to businesses in the agricultural community for donations for the annual steak fry and within one week was able to collect $1100 in donations. This was an outstanding job considering the short time frame. Since then, Madison has proven her leadership and desire to help the club wherever possible by attending all club meetings and events as well as doing her job as treasurer. Because of all this, she is truly deserving of the outstanding sophomore award.
Outstanding Junior Activities: Lexi Ostrand
This award is presented to the member of the Junior class who has put forth the extra effort needed to make our club a success. Lexi’s year has been an insanely busy one for her. She was talked into running for and being elected as the Vice-President of pork even though she was selected as an Animal Science Ambassador and the UNL New Student Enrollment CASNR representative. Lexi started with the Block and Bridle club as a freshman and was active in all events. Last year she was the Block and Bridle Ambassador. Even with her exceptionally busy schedule, she has been able to attend all meetings as well as planning and coordinating all of the events she was put in charge of. Her passion and dedication to the club proves why she should be awarded the Outstanding Junior Activities Award.
Outstanding Junior (this is also submitted to the National Block and Bridle for consideration for their award): Lexi Ostrand
Parr Young Outstanding Senior Merit Award: Miranda Wordekemper
The Parr Young Outstanding Senior Merit Award was established in 1976 by Mrs. Parr Young-Murray to provide a merit award, annually to a senior Block and Bride Club member who has demonstrated scholarly attributes, leadership in club and extracurricular activities. Miranda has been involved with the agricultural community since she was small. She has been involved in 4-H since the age of 5 and remained in it until age 19. She has been involved sports, drama, band, choir, student council, FFA, Leadership and Career Development events, at both local and state levels. Since she joined the Block and Bridle as a freshman, she has regularly attended meetings and assisted with events. In her junior year, she was elected Secretary for the Club and was chair or co-chair of many of the events. Miranda is a senior from Indianola, Nebraska who is majoring in Animal Science with a minor in Agribusiness Entrepreneurship. Miranda will be starting in the UNL-ISU Veterinary Medicine Program in the fall of 2018.
Outstanding Senior (this is also submitted to the National Block and Bridle for consideration for their award): Gilbert Seck
The Outstanding Senior Award is given to members who have shown leadership, initiative and active involvement in club and extracurricular activities. Gilbert is a senior from North Platte Nebraska who will receive an Applied Science degree with a minor in Agronomy and Animal Science this May. Gilbert joined Block and Bridle as a sophomore and has been a very active member since. He was present at all the large events in his sophomore year. He was elected as the club historian last year and the club’s annual was so fantastic, it was the first time it has ever been printed in color. This year Gilbert was elected President and has continued to be a consistent presence at all events and meetings. While overseeing the annual events, Gilbert has also been the Co-President of the CANSR Week Committee, and worked in the Poultry Unit. The calm and steady leadership Gilbert has brought to the club is why Gilbert deserves the Outstanding Senior Award. As winner of the Nebraska award, Gilbert’s application will be sent in to the National Block and Bridle Office for consideration of the National Block and Bridle Club Outstanding Senior Scholarship Award.
Swine Industry: Magdalene O’Brien
The Swine Industry award was started last year and is voted on by officers and advisors of the Block and Bridle Club. Magdalene is a freshman from Blair, Nebraska and is a major in Animal Science with a food animal production and management interest. Magdalene’s interest in swine began when she started showing pigs through 4-H and continued through her high school years. She joined FFA and was able to start educating younger kids about many of the agricultural industries including the pork industry. She currently holds an intern project with the Nebraska Pork Producers where she is creating a signature project relating to her future career goal, and that also impacts the pork industry. Magdalene has been an active member with the Block and Bridle Club with a clear desire to further her leadership in the swine industry which makes her uniquely qualified for this award.
The following scholarships were awarded. These are voted on by the Animal Science Scholarship Committee with recommendation of past honorees and Club Advisors.
Block and Bridle Club Scholarship: Lexi Ostrand
Presented by 2017 Honoree, Doug Brand. The Block and Bridle Club Scholarship is funded entirely on proceeds from the cake auction that follows the banquet
William and Barbara Rishel Block and Bridle Club Honoree Scholarship: Kailey Conway
Presented by Barbara and Bill Rishel
The night ended with the annual cake auction. The proceeds fund the Block and Bridle Club Scholarship, which is awarded to students annually. Volunteers are requested to make cakes representing the agricultural community. The cakes are voted on prior to the start of the banquet and the top ten cakes are auctioned off at the end. This year our auctioneer was Matt Printz, who also did the Bull Sale the previous day in the Animal Science Building. Through the generosity of the cake auction winners, over $9000 was raised this year!
Below are some pictures of the cakes that were entered plus photos from the banquet.
