The 2022 Tennessee Junior Livestock Expo – Sheep Expo, held Oct. 21-22 at Tennessee Tech University, was yet another competition in which Shelby and Weston Thames could carry on the 4-H legacy laid by their mother, Mandy.
When Mandy first started showing sheep in second grade under the guidance of her father, DeWayne Perry, who served in the University of Tennessee (UT) Extension in Williamson County for 40 years, she never dreamed her kids would one day discover their own passion for livestock competition. However, when her first child, Shelby, was old enough to participate in their county’s 4-H program, the family could not turn down a chance to re-enter the show circuit.
“Growing up, I always had such a positive 4-H experience, and I wanted that for my kids as well,” says Mandy. “Being in the program and working with livestock gives you so many life skills that will help you succeed — things like how to be a leader, how to work as a team, and how to take care of the needs of others.”
Shelby, now in ninth grade, and her younger brother, Weston, sixth grade, are active in the Williamson County 4-H Sheep Project and raise market lambs at their grandparents’ property. Despite having a full schedule due to homework and school activities, Shelby says that she and Weston show their sheep any chance they get.
“If you want to succeed at something, you have to practice, so I’ve definitely had to learn to manage my time now that I’m in high school,” says Shelby with a laugh. “Showing sheep is something I really enjoy doing, though — it’s a great way to meet new people and hang out with friends.”
Weston, who is finishing up his second year in the show circuit, says that he’s learned a lot from his sheep in a short time.
“If there’s one thing that raising my sheep has taught me, it’s patience,” says Weston. “But even when things don’t go how I want them to, I just love being able to spend time with my sheep and learn their personalities. They can be very entertaining!”
At the expo, Shelby and Weston competed alongside fellow 4-H’ers and FFA members in the Sales Talk Contest and Sheep Skillathon, which they agree help them to better understand their sheep and the industry.
The 2022 Tennessee Junior Livestock Expo – Sheep Expo winning entries were as follows:
Breeding Ewe Showmanship
Senior II: Brock Trew, Polk, champion; Anna Powell, Wilson, reserve; Senior I: Addyson Trew, Polk, champion; Brooke Young, Rutherford, reserve; Junior High: Sarah Powell, Wilson, champion; Marshall Hull, Trousdale, reserve; Junior: Scout Ingram, Giles, champion; Maggie Snapp, Hawkins, reserve; Explorer: Maggie Webb, Hawkins, champion; Gracie Shults, Unicoi, reserve.
Commercial Ewe/Market Lamb Showmanship
Senior II: Brock Trew, Polk, champion; Chloe Brasher, Gibson, reserve; Senior I: Dani Wares, Overton, champion; Brooke Young, Rutherford, reserve; Junior High: Seth Troglin, Cumberland, champion; Bristol Turner, Tipton, reserve; Junior: Wyatt Erwin, Wilson, champion; Molly Wyatt, Decatur, reserve; Explorer: Blair Oevermann, Decatur, champion; Tommi Joy Hensley, Unicoi, reserve.
Registered Ewe Show
Overall Registered Ewe – Scout Ingram, Giles, grand champion and grand champion bred by exhibitor; Skilar Burch, Rutherford, reserve champion; Brock Trew, Polk, reserve champion bred by exhibitor.
White Dorper – Sarah Weaver, Coffee, champion registered ewe; Sarah Lawrence, Bledsoe, reserve registered ewe; Elliott Weaver, Coffee, champion bred by exhibitor; Abigayle Houser, Bledsoe, reserve bred by exhibitor.
Dorset – Lilly Braden, Lawrence, champion registered ewe; Maggie Snapp, Hawkins, reserve registered ewe; Callie Carty, Unicoi, champion bred by exhibitor.
Dorset Advantage – Chloe Brasher, Gibson, champion registered ewe; Luke Lay, Monroe, reserve registered ewe; Bristol Brown, Anderson, champion bred by exhibitor; Jayden Hesson, Macon, reserve bred by exhibitor.
Hampshire – Caleb Limpert, Rutherford, champion registered ewe; Brock Trew, Polk, reserve registered ewe and champion bred by exhibitor; Bristol Brown, Anderson, reserve bred by exhibitor.
Katahdin – Brooke Young, Rutherford, champion registered ewe and champion bred by exhibitor; Emmit Dalton, Polk, reserve registered ewe and reserve bred by exhibitor.
Shropshire – Skilar Burch, Rutherford, champion registered ewe; Maggie Webb, Hawkins, reserve registered ewe; Charlie Majors, Sevier, champion and reserve bred by exhibitor.
Southdown – Scout Ingram, Giles, champion registered ewe and champion bred by exhibitor; Brock Trew, Polk, reserve registered ewe; Addyson Trew, Polk, reserve bred by exhibitor.
Suffolk – Aliyah Blackburn, Bedford, champion registered ewe; Maggie Malone, Sullivan, reserve registered ewe, champion and reserve bred by exhibitor.
AOB Meat – Sarah Powell, Wilson, champion and reserve registered ewe, champion bred by exhibitor; Emma Grace Meadow, Greene, reserve bred by exhibitor.
AOB Wool – Brooke Young, Rutherford, champion registered ewe and champion bred by exhibitor; Jack Pyburn, Wilson, reserve registered ewe and reserve bred by exhibitor.
AOB Hair – John Neely, Rutherford, champion and reserve registered ewe.
Commercial Ewe Show
Overall Commercial Ewe – KeyLe Rhea, Warren, grand champion commercial ewe; Wyatt Erwin, Wilson, reserve champion commercial ewe.
Overall Farm Bred Commercial Ewe – Brock Trew, Polk, grand champion farm bred; Addyson Trew, Polk, reserve champion farm bred.
White Face Cross Lamb – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, champion commercial ewe; Brock Trew, Polk, reserve commercial ewe and champion farm bred; Callie Carty, Unicoi, reserve farm bred.
White Face Cross Yearling – Addyson Trew, Polk, champion commercial ewe and champion farm bred; Abigail Whicker, Wilson, reserve commercial ewe and reserve farm bred.
Black Face Cross Lamb – KeyLe Rhea, Warren, champion commercial ewe; Wyatt Erwin, Wilson, reserve commercial ewe; Tucker Harmening, Anderson, champion farm bred; Rebecca Blackston, Lawrence, reserve farm bred.
Black Face Cross Yearling – Caleb Limpert, Rutherford, champion commercial ewe; Chloe Brasher, Gibson, reserve commercial ewe; Grace DeBusk, McMinn, champion farm bred.
Hair Cross Lamb – Grace Spooner, Rutherford, champion commercial ewe; Sarah Lawrence, Bledsoe, reserve commercial ewe; Abigayle Houser, Bledsoe, champion farm bred; Baylee Brown, Anderson, reserve farm bred.
Hair Cross Yearling – Abigayle Houser, Bledsoe, champion commercial ewe and champion farm bred; Sarah Lawrence, Bledsoe, reserve commercial ewe.
Market Lamb Show
Overall Market Lambs – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, grand champion; KeyLe Rhea, Warren, reserve champion.
Overall Tennessee-Bred Market Lambs – KeyLe Rhea, Warren, grand champion
and reserve grand champion Tennessee-bred.
Hampshire – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, champion market lamb; KeyLe Rhea, Warren, reserve market lamb; Kendall Hamilton, Clay, champion Tennessee-bred; Chloe Brasher, Gibson, reserve Tennessee-bred.
Natural Color – Maci Ballew, Montgomery, champion market lamb; Chloe Brasher, Gibson, reserve market lamb and champion Tennessee-bred; Kendall Hamilton, Clay, reserve Tennessee-bred.
Shropshire – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, champion market lamb and champion Tennessee-bred; Shelby Thames, Williamson, reserve market lamb and reserve Tennessee-bred.
AOB Meat – Seth Troglin, Cumberland, champion market lamb and champion Tennessee-bred; Lydia McCollum, Williamson, reserve market lamb and reserve Tennessee-bred.
AOB Wool – Abigail Whicker, Wilson, champion and reserve market lamb, champion and reserve Tennessee-bred.
AOB Hair – John Neely, Rutherford, champion market lamb; Abigayle Houser, Bledsoe, reserve market lamb and champion Tennessee-bred; Sarah Weaver, Coffee, reserve Tennessee-bred.
Crossbred Black Face – Marshall Hull, Trousdale, champion market lamb; KeyLe Rhea, Warren, reserve market lamb and champion Tennessee-bred; Mary Carter Shirley, Putnam, reserve Tennessee-bred.
Crossbred White Face – Maci Ballew, Montgomery, champion market lamb; Gracey Plemmons, Wilson, reserve market lamb and champion Tennessee-bred; Brody Lowe, Cumberland, reserve Tennessee-bred.