Wilson County 4'H’ers Earn Top Award in 2004 Tennessee 4-H Livestock Judging Contest
June 1, 2004
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

The Wilson County 4-H Livestock Judging Team earned the title of “number one” during the 2004 Tennessee 4-H Livestock Judging Contest. The contest was conducted June 1 in conjunction with the 4-H Meats Judging Contest at the Tennessee Livestock Center in Murfreesboro.

In earning the “Champion Team” award, Wilson County edged out the Bedford County - B Team by 21 points and Coffee County’s team by 62 points. Wilson County scored 1870 points, Bedford County - 1849 and Coffee County tallied 1808.

Members of the Wilson County team were Jared Givens, Katie McKinnis, Cody Powell and Travis McPeak. The team was coached by Mark Powell, Extension Agent in Wilson County.

Jared Givens, of Wilson County, scored the greatest number of overall points, as well as also earning the largest score in reasons. Wesley Keele, of Coffee County, was the top judge of beef cattle. Sara Chick, of Bedford County - A, earned the top honors in swine judging and Andy Higgins of Cannon County scored the highest in sheep judging.

Other teams in the contest included those from Cannon, Obion, Bedford - A, Smith, Jefferson, Knox and McMinn Counties.

All of the teams that participated in the state-wide competition had qualified in district contests during the Fall of 2003 and Spring of 2004. Approximately 450 4-H’ers competed in the 4 district contests.

“Livestock Judging is one of the more popular Tennessee 4-H Livestock Programs,” says James B. Neel, Extension Animal Scientist with UT’s Agricultural Extension Service. “The 4-H members that competed in the state contest were the top 1.0 percent.”

Neel pointed out that “participating in 4-H Livestock Judging helps youth to develop skills in meat animal evaluation and provides opportunities to recognize differences in situations, assimilate facts and use this information to make logical decisions.” Neel also added, “youth also learn to present their decisions in a logical sequence as they verbally explain their placings to a livestock professional.”

Livestock Judging is one of about 60 youth educational programs of the Tennessee 4-H program. Four-H is part of the total educational programs conducted by the Agricultural Extension Service, University of Tennessee.

Contest participants were honored at an awards banquet sponsored by the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative.

Awards were presented by the Tennessee Livestock Producers, Inc., Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, Merial Limited, the Block and Bridle Club of the University of Tennessee, the Student Cattlemen’s Association of the University of Tennessee, Tennessee Pork Producers’
Association, the Cattlemen’s Association and the Tennessee Sheep Producer’s Association to the top placing teams and individuals. The Tennessee Beef Industry Council was also a sponsor.

The Wilson County team will represent Tennessee in the National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky in November. Sponsorship for the team’s trip will be provided by the Mid-South Fair, the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association, the Tennessee Sheep Producer’s Association, the Tennessee
Pork Producer’s Association and the Lower Middle Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association.

Livestock Judging (Team Results)

1. Wilson County
2. Bedford County B
3. Coffee County
4. Cannon County
5. McMinn County
6. Knox County
7. Bedford County A
8. Smith County
9. Jefferson County
10. Obion County

Livestock Judging (Individual Results)

1. Jared Givens, Wilson County
2. Jessica Fox, Bedford County B
3. Wesley Keele, Coffee County
4. Andy Higgins, Cannon County
5. Cody Powell, Wilson County

The Wilson County livestock team will compete at the National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, November 15-17, 2004 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Meats Judging (Team Results)

1. Hardeman County A
2. Hancock County
3. Humphreys County A
4. Hardeman County B
5. Carter County
6. Humphreys County B
7. Coffee County
8. Warren County
9. Crockett County

Meats Judging (Individual Results)

1. Aaron Gibson, Hardeman County A
2. Joe Ramsey, Hancock County
3. Fiona Black, Hardeman County A
4. Cheyenne Dillon, Hardeman County B
5. Sam Wilson, Humphreys County A

The Hardeman County meats team will participate in the National 4-H Meats Judging Contest, October 14-15, 2004 in Manhattan, Kansas.