By Stephen Smoot
“We had the most there that I remember,” shared Ward Malcolm, West Virginia Poultry Association president. On Friday, all learned at the WVPA annual meeting that the 94 who came from across the state represented the highest number of competitors that ever came to Moorefield for the event.
That included a contingent from Jackson County, four hours away and whose poultry interest centers around small scale backyard flocks rather than commercial production.
Alex Smith from the Hardy County West Virginia University Extension Service said, “We have a lot of different counties this year. Probably more kids than we’ve ever had here.” Teams came from Hardy, Pendleton, Hampshire, Tucker, Morgan, Barbour, Doddridge, and Jackson counties. Except for Doddridge, most participating counties in recent years came almost exclusively from the Potomac Highlands.
Social media helped to extend the reach of recruitment efforts and Smith stated that “we have some new extension agents who are open to trying new things.”
In addition to the FFA and 4-H teams, two dozen signed on for the barbeque contest “which is a good number,” stated Smith.
Expanding interest, speculated Smith, comes from at least two sources of motivation. “It seems like there are a lot more backyard flocks than there used to be,” she said, then also added the fact of “increasing interest in where our food comes from.”
Competitors came to show off and to also further develop their skills and knowledge in judging various poultry products from eggs to carcasses to a finished chicken patty product. They also evaluate live birds and show their knowledge with parts identification.
Junior teams could opt in or out on whether their members included “reasons” in their judging. The “reasons” section gives the competitor an opportunity to use evidence collected in observation and examination to make a fact-based case for their conclusions. Senior level teams must perform the reasons task as part of their overall competition.
Brooke Alt and Jessica Hoover, both agents from the West Virginia University Extension Service office in Pendleton County, shared during the judging that “overall it’s been pretty good.” Alt stated that “we have about 90 kids here this year and that’s double what we’ve had in the past.”
She explained that eight Future Farmers of America chapters participated. The FFA considers the WVPA event as an exhibition, but teams still come to practice and improve their skills. Teams from 4-H, however, do officially compete with winners eligible to go on to national competition in Louisville, Kentucky, later this summer.
Hoover discussed the benefits seen by students who take part in these competitions. “If they go into poultry” competition helps to “prepare them for that. It gives them exposure to what the industry standards are.” That said, “even if they don’t go into poultry, this helps with decision-making skills, critical thinking, public speaking” and more.
Henry Goff came from Sandyville in Jackson County. Currently, he attends Gilmore Elementary, whose student population sits at about half that of East Hardy Elementary School. Next year, he moves on to Ravenswood Middle.
“I enjoyed it,” he shared, adding that “my favorite part was poultry identification.”
His father, Ben Goff, helped to mentor the Jackson County students. Goff serves as a Jackson County West Virginia University extension agent. He explained that “we’re trying to get to more activities and have more judging teams” and shared that competition gives kids “a lot of intangibles.”
That will help what he describes as a growing interest in backyard flocks in that section of the state. Former West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Walt Helmick deployed mobile chicken production trucks into Jackson County during his term of office to spark interest in poultry there.
While that did not create large commercial operations, the uncertainties felt during COVID and price spikes in poultry products have pushed more households to rely on their own resources when possible. Backyard flocks are part of that.
Of course, the largest of commercial producers also sees value in the up and coming generation getting hands-on experience. Pam Weese from Pilgrims stated that “these are the kids that will drive the future of agriculture” and that “we want to support them, keep them interested, and be good influences.”
Pilgrims also provided all of the poultry for the barbeque contest, as well as the food for the youth luncheon.
After a full day of competition, delicious food, and the fun of fellowship with new faces from different places, came the awards.
Junior teams did not have to compete in reasons, but some elected to do so anyway as did Tori Heavner and Ross Pownell. They earned both second and first place, respectively.
First and second place senior division winners both came from Barbour County, but third was taken by Makinley Branson from Hardy County.
Junior individuals overall could earn a possible 650 points with the reasons category separated for that group. Kallie Keyser of Pendleton County took first while Cady Mitchell from Hardy County earned third place. The second place winner hailed from Doddridge County.
The FFA division saw Hardy County’s Emily Parisi earn first place honors. Morgan and Hampshire county students won second and third place.
In the 4-H senior division, Branson took second while first place honors went to competitors from Doddridge and third to Jackson. Jackson County also took first place in junior 4-H.
Brad Smith, Grant County West Virginia University extension agent, shared on Friday that Goff had issued a challenge to his Jackson County kids. If they won any competition, he’d eat gizzards or some other unusual part of a chicken
FFA team honors went to third place Hampshire County, second place Tyler County A, and first to Morgan County’s squad from Berkeley Springs. From the competition, two full teams of 4-H qualifiers earned a trip to Louisville, Kentucky, for nationals, Barbour County in second place and Hardy Senior A in first.
The Hardy County winners were Branson, Geoffrey Williams, Will Martin, and Tommy Parisi.
Barbecue contest winners came next. Danica Vetter won in “Most Unique” for the junior turkey competition. Roger Bradford won second and Mitchell first. Junior winners in chicken were Grant Alt for second and Grayson Reel in first place. Branson topped off a stellar day with second place in the senior chicken division while Briley Reel earned first.
As the day concluded and the teams went their separate ways, Goff reflected on his team’s experience before the four-hour trek back to the Ohio Valley region of the Mountain State.
“It’s a good conference. It’s really beautiful and the kids enjoyed it,” he said.
He added “We’ll be back!”
