People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” — Dale Carnegie.
At the 2021 Tennessee Junior Sheep Expo, spirits were high and competition keen as 4-H and FFA members gathered from across the state to exhibit the results of long hours of diligent training and preparation.
Achievements in the show ring were evident as exhibitors racked up numerous personal accomplishments. Because of the cancellation of many livestock shows last year due to COVID, youth were eager to get back into the show ring to improve their skills.
The 51st annual expo was pushed back from its regularly scheduled date in July, but as the saying goes, “Better late than never.” Held at Tennessee Tech University on Oct. 21 – 23 at the Hyder-Burks Agriculture Pavilion, over 15 breeds of sheep were represented by more than 150 exhibitors.
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative was proud to sponsor the donation of expo tags to each of the participants in support of the Tennessee 4-H and FFA Foundations for the further development of youth leadership and agricultural programs.
Baylee Brown, whose family has been feeding Co-op Sheep Feed from Anderson County Co-op for many years, was excited to win the Explorer Breeding Ewe Showmanship division and bring home a championship belt buckle.
“Last year, which was my first year in 4-H, we didn’t have many shows because of COVID, so I was so excited to be able to show at the Tennessee Junior Sheep Expo this year,” says Baylee. “Raising and showing sheep is so much fun because it teaches important life skills, and I get to meet new people and make new friends from all over!”
The 2021 Tennessee Junior Sheep Expo winning entries were as follows:
Breeding Ewe Showmanship
Senior II: Brock Trew, Polk, champion; John Neely, Rutherford, reserve; Senior I: Anna Powell, Wilson, champion; Charlie Majors, Sevier, reserve; Junior High: Sarah Powell, Wilson, champion; Addyson Trew, Polk, reserve; Junior: Marshall Hull, Trousdale, champion; Grace Spooner, Rutherford, reserve; Explorer: Baylee Brown, Anderson, champion; Callie Carty, Washington, reserve.
Commercial Ewe/Market
Lamb Showmanship
Senior II: Parker Saum, McNairy, champion; Eli Mundy, Claiborne, reserve; Senior I: Carson Green, Macon, champion; Aiden Hester, Sumner, reserve; Junior High: Brooke Young, Rutherford, champion; Brody Lowe, Cumberland, reserve; Junior: Marshall Hull, Trousdale, champion; Solomon Chandler, Anderson, reserve; Explorer: Wyatt Erwin, Wilson, champion; Mark Johnson, Campbell, reserve.
Registered Ewe Show
Overall Breeding Ewe – John Buryl Neely, Rutherford, grand champion; Marshall Hull, Trousdale, reserve champion; Sarah Powell, Wilson, grand champion bred by exhibitor; Brock Trew, Polk, reserve champion bred by exhibitor.
Dorper – John Buryl Neely, Rutherford, champion registered ewe; Grace Spooner, Rutherford, reserve registered ewe; Taylor Binkley, Cheatham, champion and reserve bred by exhibitor.
White Dorper – John Buryl Neely, Rutherford, champion registered ewe; Abigayle Houser, Bledsoe, reserve registered ewe, champion and reserve bred by exhibitor.
Dorset – Brooke Young, Rutherford, champion and reserve registered ewe; Blake Cope, Hawkins, champion bred by exhibitor; Caden McKnight, Monroe, reserve bred by exhibitor.
Dorset Advantage – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, champion registered ewe; Macy Templeton, Rutherford, reserve registered ewe; Jayden Hesson, Macon, champion bred by exhibitor; Ella Thomas, Anderson, reserve bred by exhibitor.
Hampshire – Mary Carter Shirley, Putnam, champion registered ewe; Caleb Limpert, Rutherford, reserve registered ewe; Grace Powell, Wilson, champion bred by exhibitor; Justin Lett, Loudon, reserve bred by exhibitor; Bristol Brown, Anderson, supreme flock.
Katahdin – Baylee Brown, Anderson, champion and reserve registered ewe, champion and reserve bred by exhibitor, supreme flock.
Oxford – Emma Meadows, Greene, champion and reserve registered ewe, champion and reserve bred by exhibitor.
Polypay – Jessica Whicker, Wilson, champion registered ewe and champion bred by exhibitor; Dinah Lockard, Wilson, reserve registered ewe and reserve bred by exhibitor.
Shropshire – Charlie Majors, Sevier, champion and reserve registered ewe, champion and reserve bred by exhibitor.
Southdown – Brock Trew, Polk, champion and reserve registered ewe, champion and reserve bred by exhibitor, supreme flock.
Suffolk – Courtney Dickens, Smith, champion and reserve registered ewe, champion and reserve bred by exhibitor.
AOB Meat – Sarah Powell, Wilson, champion and reserve registered ewe, champion bred by exhibitor, supreme flock.
AOB Hair– Sydnie True, Tipton, champion and reserve registered ewe, champion bred by exhibitor.
AOB Wool – Bauer Birch, Rutherford, champion and reserve registered ewe, champion bred by exhibitor.
Commercial Ewe Show
Overall Commercial Ewe – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, grand champion commercial ewe; Parker Saum, McNairy, reserve champion commercial ewe.
Overall Farm Bred Commercial Ewe – Parker Saum, McNairy, grand champion farm bred and reserve champion farm bred.
White Face Cross Lamb – Chloe Brasher, Gibson, champion commercial ewe; Parker Saum, McNairy, reserve commercial ewe; KeyLe Rhea, Warren, champion farm bred; Mallory Cope, Hawkins, reserve farm bred.
White Face Cross Yearling – Addyson Trew, Polk, champion commercial ewe; Chloe Brasher, Gibson, reserve commercial ewe.
Black Face Cross Lamb – Marshall
Hull, Trousdale, champion commercial ewe; Parker Saum, McNairy, reserve
commercial ewe, champion and reserve farm bred.
Black Face Cross Yearling – Braxton Taylor, Sumner, champion commercial ewe; Regan Black, Wilson, reserve commercial ewe; Jayden Gossett, Williamson, champion farm bred; Maggie Malone, Sullivan, reserve farm bred.
Hair Cross Lamb – Grace Spooner, Rutherford, champion commercial ewe; Sarah Lawrence, Bledsoe, reserve commercial ewe; Abigayle Houser, Bledsoe, champion farm bred; Macy Gourley, Monroe, reserve farm bred.
Hair Cross Yearling – Abigayle Houser, Bledsoe, champion commercial ewe and champion farm bred; Riley Mozingo, Anderson, reserve commercial ewe and reserve farm bred.
Market Lamb Show
Overall Market Lambs – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, grand champion, 4th overall, 5th overall; Parker Saum, McNairy, reserve grand champion, 3rd overall.
Overall Tennessee-Bred Market Lambs – Parker Saum, McNairy, grand champion Tennessee-bred; Eli Mundy, Claiborne, reserve champion Tennessee-bred; Kendall Hamilton, Clay, 3rd overall; Weston Thames, Williamson, 4th overall; Mallory Cope, Hawkins, 5th overall.
Hampshire – Parker Saum, McNairy, champion market lamb; Marshall Hull, Trousdale, reserve market lamb; Eli Mundy, Claiborne, champion Tennessee-bred; Kendall Hamilton, Clay, reserve Tennessee-bred.
Natural Color – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, champion market lamb; Carson Green, Hawkins, reserve market lamb; Kendall Hamilton, Clay, champion Tennessee-bred; Luke Lay, Monroe, reserve Tennessee-bred.
AOB Meat – Solomon Chandler, Anderson, champion market lamb; Luke Lay, Monroe, reserve market lamb; Mallory Cope, Hawkins, champion Tennessee-bred; Turner Harville, Smith, reserve Tennessee-bred.
Crossbred Black Face – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, champion market lamb; Parker Saum, McNairy, reserve market lamb and champion Tennessee-bred; Weston Thames, Williamson, reserve Tennessee-bred.
Crossbred White Face – Lilly Braden, Lawrence, champion market lamb and champion Tennessee-bred; Kimber Cook, Bedford, reserve market lamb and reserve Tennessee-bred.