The Custer County 4-H Recognition Night was held on Sunday, Nov. 16, at the 4-H Building in Broken Bow. The event is sponsored annually by the Nebraska State Bank and Trust Co. and Arrow Seed Co., Inc., in conjunction with the Nebraska Extension in Custer County and the Custer County 4-H Council.

The 2025 Outstanding 4-H Leader Award was presented to Natasha Dalby. Natasha is serving as the organizational leader of the Sandhill Critters 4-H Club. This award is sponsored by the Custer County 4-H Council, Farm Credit Services of America, and the Nebraska 4-H Foundation.

The 2025 “Friends of 4-H” were awarded by the Custer County 4-H Council to the Curtis and Marla Stallbaumer Family and the Broken Bow Berean Bible Church for the contributions they have made to the Custer County 4-H program and for being such great advocates of the 4-H program.

The Leo C. Cooksley Memorial Award was awarded to Maggie Peterson for her leadership and citizenship contributions to the 4-H program.

Two- and five-year members received membership pins. 4-H leaders received recognition for their 2, 5, 10, 15, and 30 years of service.

The following 4-H’ers received awards: Outstanding 4-H Member - Izabella Shields Champion All-Around Exhibitor - Izabella Shields Champion 4-H Clothing Exhibitors - Kennedy Eggleston, Izabella Shields Champion 4-H Home Design & Restoration/Visual Arts Exhibitor - Adalei Tullis Best All-Around 4-H Home Economics Exhibitors Kennedy Eggleston Champion 4-H Foods Exhibitor - Kipp Cantrell Most Improved 4-H Shooter - Madison Longfellow Top 4-H Shooter - Ashlyn Wardyn Top 4-H .22 Shooter - Bereket Glendy 4-H Beef Hardluck Award - Breken Rynearson 4-H Hardluck Award - Leah Cox Citizenship Medal - Addie Jones Clothing & Textiles Medal - Avery Harder Home Environment Medal - Izabella Shields Swine Medal - Aleah Harder Angus Breed Money - Braxon Rynearson, Addison Dalrymple, Kaycee Nelson, Breken Rynearson, Avery Ostrand, Judd Sterner, Shayleigh Coleman, Annalee Smith, Keylie Pelster, Charli Pandor Hereford Breed Money - Emma Stallbaumer, Kirby Viter, Kaygan Witthuhn, Avery Ostrand, Kelynn Witthuhn, Bindi Peters, Ruby Slocum Charolais Breed Money - Taylin Tobias, Stran Greenly, Kaycee Nelson, Paisley Seda, Malloree Bartak, Maicey Seda, Jack Bartak Simmental Breed Money - Stran Greenly, Taryn Blakeman, Andi Smith, Emmett Palmer, Kade Smith Shorthorn Breed Money - Tripp Oxford, Judd Sterner Commercial Breeding Heifers Breed Money - Braxon Rynearson, Alli Smith, Kowen Dalrymple, Brennan Beran Club with the largest percentage of members in the 4-H Public Speaking Contest - Burr Oak 4-H Club: Lillian Gregoski, Lucy Martin, Clancy Martin, Sage Smith Nebraska 4-H Club of Excellence Awards - Burr Oak 4-H Club, Four Valleys 4-H Club, Thumbs Up 4-H Club Diamond Clover Awards - Ember Guthard-Burr, Gerrit O’Neill, Bryden Hollander, Diesel Warta, Brinley Bachman, Addie Jones, Owen Warta, Raylee Bachman, Avery Harder, Izabella Shields