Auburn, Aug 6---Two Alabama 4-H judging teams succeeded in adding two more national trophies to what already has become a crowded mantle.

Alabama’s 4-H Wildlife Judging Team, represented by Coosa County, placed first in the national competition in Alta, Wyo., while, the state’s 4-H Forestry Judging Team, represented by Talladega County, secured top honors at the national competition in Weston, WV.

A number of Alabama 4-H’ers from both teams also earned high individual scores in both competitions.

In wildlife judging, Coosa County 4-H’ers Emily Vines and Holly Cordner placed first and fourth in overall individual competition. Vines also placed fourth in wildlife foods, while Cordner secured first place in area photo evaluation.

Three team members also tied for tenth place in wildlife management practices: Vines, Cordner and Amanda Luker.

The Coosa team also was placed second in urban wildlife management planning and third in rural wildlife management planning.

Four-H Wildlife Judging Team members included: Vines, Cordner, Luker and Tiler Lambeth.

Jimmy Williams, a member of the Talladega County Forestry Judging Team, tied for the highest overall individual score in the national competition.

Patrick Williams and Ben Davis also placed seventh and eighth respectively in top ten individual scores.

Four-H Forestry Judging Team members included Patrick Williams, Jimmy Williams, Ben Davis and Robby Lukasik.

This marks the fifth Alabama national win in wildlife judging and the tenth such win for forestry judging. It also marks the third national win for Coosa County in wildlife judging and the second national win for Talladega County in forestry judging.

In fact, Alabama has traditionally been recognized as a powerhouse in both categories.

"It’s fitting that Alabama, so rich in natural resources, should excel in both competitions," says Dr. Warren McCord, Extension 4-H program leader, adding that the victories reflect the "high quality of leadership of both county agents and volunteers involved in these events."

Both national championships are the culmination of months, if not years, of rigorous study.

In wildlife judging, team members drill for hours at a time on subjects such as wildlife identification and wildlife habitat. They must also be familiar with feeding habits and habitats of a wide variety of animals in their region.

Likewise, forestry competition demands rigorous drilling in a wide variety of topics, including tree, insect and disease identification, tree measurement and navigation through the forest.