White County wins 2018 Arkansas 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest

(Newsrooms – with photo of winning team downloadable here:

Fast Facts:

White County won the 2018 Arkansas 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest
White County will represent Arkansas in the national competition
Bradley County is the first ever Arkansas 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest junior division champion

(406 words)

(Newsrooms – with photo of winning team downloadable here: https://flic.kr/p/27u5MHB)

LITTLE ROCK— The White County senior 4-H team is this year’s state champion in the Arkansas State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest.

ALL SMILES — State champion 4-H livestock judging team from White County is all smiles with its prizes. (UofA System Division of Agriculture photo by Chelsea Ahrens)

Noralee Townsend from White County earned High Individual honors followed by Jacob Pearce from Faulkner County and Carson White from White County in second and third place, respectively.

“It's a truly humbling experience to watch the 4-H'ers compete and see all their hard work and practice up to that point culminate at the state contest,” said Chelsey Ahrens, extension livestock and youth education specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “They put countless hours into practicing for these contests.”

White County competed against 72 senior 4-H members from 18 counties in evaluating livestock, giving reasons on three classes and answering questions on another class.

By placing first in the state competition, White County will now represent Arkansas at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky; the American Royal in Kansas City and in the AKSARBEN in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Watching those 4-Her’s advance from state and get to compete at the national contests is a very rewarding experience,” Ahrens said. “They're not just representing Arkansas, but their home county and themselves, as well.”

Faulkner County finished as the reserve champion team and are eligible to compete at the AKSARBEN and at the Western National in Denver, Colorado. Polk County finished third and are eligible to compete at the AKSARBEN, as well.

Competing at national competitions helps 4-Her’s market themselves to colleges, while also getting the once in a lifetime opportunity to compete outside the state, said Ahrens.

The Arkansas State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest took place May 3. This was the first year that the competition was held at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds in Little Rock. The larger space allowed for the addition of a junior division to this year’s contest.

“Adding the junior division allows 4-H'ers to begin exploring and practice judging at a younger age so they're more experienced by the time they're in the senior division,” Ahrens said.

Sixty-two junior 4-H members from 15 counties competed in judging the same classes as the senior team and gave one set of reasons.

Bradley County is thefirst-ever junior division champion. Washington County is this year’s reserve champion and White County is the third high team.

Braden Harrod from Bradley County finished with top individual honors, Ericca Corker from Bradley County came in second and Rendi Warren from Polk County finished third.

For more information about 4-H livestock judging, visit, https://4h.uada.edu/programs/plant-animal/livestock.aspx

About the Division of Agriculture

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

By Mary Hightower

The Cooperative Extension Service
U of A System Division of Agriculture

Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu

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