Summer is always a busy time for 4-H in Pendleton County. From camp, to judging events, to the fair, there is always something for members to do. Thirteen 4-H members participated in the Poultry Youth Day Judging and BBQ Contest July 20 in Moorefield,
During the morning contest, participants took part in the judging contest where they had to identify different cuts of meat, grade chicken carcasses, judge chicken patties, grade interior and exterior qualities of eggs and look at live birds to determine their meat quality, and their egg laying abilities. All senior members also had to provide reasons on how they placed the past egg production birds. Some junior members opted to do this as well.
In the afternoon, three members participated in the annual BBQ Cook Off where they had to use their own unique recipes to win over the stomachs of a panel of judges. During this contest, members were given a grill and a chicken half to prepare for the judges.
Awards were announced in the afternoon. Pendleton County Team B, consisting of Katie Keyser, Jax Bennett, and Tia Heavner, placed second in the judging event. Individually, Keyser placed first and Bennett placed fourth. Pendleton County Team A with team members Phoebe Pownell, Ty Heavner, Katie Heavner and Jameigh Miller placed third. Pownell and Ty Heavner placed seventh and eighth, respectively. Pendleton County Team C, Kallie Keyser, Marion Williams, Easton Boner, and Hannah Heavner, placed fourth with Keyser earning fifth overall amongst her peers. Phoebe Pownell and Ty Heavner placed first and second, respectively, in the junior oral reasons contest. Participating as a senior individual was Lydia Heavner who placed second individually in the judging contest and fourth in the senior reasons contest.
Participants in the BBQ Cook Off contest were Marion Williams, Jamiegh Miller and Ava Bowers. Williams took home first place in the junior contest with her unique sauce recipe.