Our Virtual Reality

We virtually had a 4-H poultry show at the fair this year.  Virtually because well, we couldn’t have chickens physically there due to NCDA’s suspension of poultry shows across the state (trying to make sure the bird flu didn’t spread).  We had a chickens show complete with competitors, judges, ribbons, cameras, premiums, and a great big screen in the middle of the show ring.  Sounds a little odd doesn’t it?

Our 4-H members who raised laying hens this year got their birds before the suspension.  Thinking it would be a shame for them not to see the project thru to the end, which is showing them at the fair, our 4-H Agent hatched a plan.  We would have the first ever virtual poultry show in the state.  The concept was easy, each participant would shoot a video of them picking up and carrying their chicken, depending the on the age of the participant, they had to name different parts and the senior showmen had to state the best features of their birds and why.

During show time the videos were shown in the ring for everyone including the judge to see, then the competitors came up to the judging table to talk face to face with the judge. In the end our cloverbuds; Mica Lewis and Jackson Shooter both received a trophy and $10.  In the Junior division Brooke Canady took home the blue ribbon while Zan Nobles was neck and neck with her, took second.  In the senior division Benjamin Herndon took home blue while Destiny Lowry walked away with second.

A special thank you to our judge, Robby Mills who jumped in and took off with this twist on our traditional poultry show.  Also a special thank you to our parents who supported their children, helped shoot video, and did not bat an eye when plans changed and we had to be flexible with what we normally do.