Judging for the Birds

More than 80 youth from area high schools and counties took part in the annual 4-H poultry judging competition at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair on Wednesday. The youth had six different areas of competition including, judging past production laying hens, giving oral reasons, grading chicken carcases, determining chicken parts, grading breakout eggs, and candling eggs. It took about an hour and twenty minutes for the youth to move through the tough competition this this year and when the scores were totaled the top three junior (9-13 years old) and senior (14-19 years old) individual winners and teams were award trophies.

In the Junior Individual Division Lumberton High School swept the category with two junior competitors. Kelli Alexander walked away with the first place trophy and in second place was Daniel Nance.
In the Senior Individual Division Purnell Swett's Stan Locklear took first place (thanks to getting perfect scores in two areas of competition). Allen Monk took second place thanks to a perfect score in one area and just missing a perfect score by four points in oral reasons. Lumberton High School's Austin Britt came in a close third.
In the Senior Teams Division Lumberton High School FFA team 4, made up of Allyson Ivey, James Pate and Kayla Britt took third place. Purnell Swett High School FFA team 1 made up of Dustin Locklear, Jordan McGirt, Vacques Hines and Stan Locklear took second place. While St. Pauls High School FFA team 4 took first place. Andrew Johnston, Tucker Tharrington, Jacqueline Cuneo, and Shannon Dorch took the biggest trophy and bragging rights back to St. Pauls High School hanks to their excellent judging skills.
Congratulations to all of our competitors.