Fayetteville, AR – On April 1st, young agricultural enthusiasts from across the state gathered in Fayetteville for the annual Arkansas 4-H Poultry Judging State Contest, a premier event that puts youth knowledge and skill in the poultry industry to the test.
Participants competed in both Junior (ages 9-13) and Senior (ages 14-19) divisions, demonstrating their abilities in key industry components including egg grading, live bird evaluation, ready-to-cook (RTC) carcass grading, and presenting oral reasons to explain their decisions in class placing and evaluation.
This year’s first place Junior Team hailed from Sebastian County, while the Senior Team from Izard County earned top honors in their division. The Izard County Senior Team will go on to represent Arkansas at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference in Louisville, Kentucky this November, where they will compete against the nation’s best.
“This contest provides an outstanding opportunity for our 4-H youth to gain hands-on experience and deepen their understanding of the poultry industry,” said Andrew Bolton of Arkansas 4-H. “We are proud of all the participants for their hard work and dedication,” said Holly Duval of The Poultry Federation.
The Arkansas 4-H Poultry Judging Contest continues to promote leadership, confidence, and critical thinking—skills that serve youth well beyond the show floor.
For more information about 4-H and opportunities in poultry science, visit https://4h.uada.edu/.
Junior Team Participants: L to R
Finn Payne, Anakin Payne, Beckett Allen, Andrew Bolton (Arkansas 4-H Instructor - Youth Poultry)
Senior Team Participants: L to R
Delilah Montalbo, Makaelynn Wood, Olivia Stroud (Ag Teacher), Kennedy Manacke, Sage Wells
