What percentage of feed energy and protein consumed by a cow is

utilized for maintenance? What is theaddress of the American Angus Association?What was the name of the first registeredAngus cow in the U.S.?

Know the answers to these questions?The champion intermediate quiz bowl teamfrom Texas is well-versed in this material,along with much more.

Logan Lastovica, Megan Ahearn andGretchen Ettredge were on the same team in2003, when they won the junior division ofthe quiz bowl competition. This year,Logan’s younger sister Mollie Lastovicajoined them for their intermediate divisionchampionship.

“It’s really an honor just to make the teamfrom Texas,” Mollie says. The team membersreceived the top four test scores of the

approximately 30 Texas 14- to 17-year-oldscompeting for a spot on the intermediateteam.

At the National Junior Angus Show(NJAS), team members took a test onWednesday afternoon. Their test scoresqualified them to advance to the verbal quizbowl rounds on Thursday. The verbalrounds consisted of one-on-one questionsdirected toward a specific team member andan opponent from the other team, and toss-up questions, which anyone could answer.

The Texas team says their experience withother National Junior Angus Association(NJAA) contests is what separated themfrom the competition.

“You get a little bit of everything with quizbowl,” Logan says. “Other contests arespecific, and quiz bowl ties them all together.”

Ettredge said competing in the poster

contest and designing a brochure withAngus Foundation information helpedbroaden her knowledge base. Mollie says shelearned about expected progeny differences(EPDs) in the sales competition and gainedknowledge about the Certified Angus Beef ®(CAB®) brand by participating in theAuxiliary-sponsored All-American CABCook-Off. Ahearn even received a quiz bowlquestion she had answered during theCook-Off.

“With a sales talk, you can have yourparts memorized, but with the quiz bowlyou have no idea what questions you will beasked,” Mollie says.

That doesn’t mean you can’t prepare forthe quiz bowl. In addition to gainingknowledge through other contests, the Texasteam practiced with questions fromprevious years. They also stayed up-to-date

234 ■ ANGUSJournal ■ September 2007

Winning intermediate quiz bowl team from Texas says contest combines other NJAS experiences.

Story & photos by Chelsea Good

Quiz Whiz Kids

@The Texas team goes head to head with Missouri in the final round,answering questions at the NJAS quiz bowl contest. Wearing purple,members of the Texas team, from left to right, are Mollie Lastovica,Megan Ahearn, Logan Lastovica and Gretchen Ettredge.

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September 2007 ■ ANGUSJournal ■ 235

@Left: The team talks whilewaiting to be called fortheir first quiz bowl round.

@Below: The four Texasteens listen intently to aquestion being asked bythe moderator.

on current issues by reading the AngusJournal and other agricultural publications.

Quiz bowl preparation is an ongoingprocess of staying informed and picking upnew information whenever possible, but theTexas team says the thrill of the competitionis worth the hard work.

“I think quiz bowl has a morecompetitive feel than most other events,”Mollie says. “It’s so split-second, andeveryone wants to be the one to ring thebuzzer first.”

Everyone may want to be the first to ringin, but this year the intermediate team fromTexas beat the competition to the buzzer.With answers like 55%; 3201 Frederick Ave.,Saint Joseph, MO 64506; and Favorite ofBoghead, they proved that they are truequiz whiz kids.

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