4-H members take top honors at district, state livestock expo

John-Adam Turner shows off his skills in the show ring. John-Adam won the Showmanship contest for fourth-grade 4-H members with his Brangus Heifer.

One hundred fifty-seven 4-H members, representing 46 counties from across Tennessee, participated in this year’s Junior Livestock Exposition.

Expo, as it is referred to, is the largest youth livestock show in the United States east of the Mississippi River. This year’s show had more than 375 registered and commercial heifers exhibited. Held at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, the annual show was a four-day affair featuring the Beef Heifer Show, Commercial Heifer Show, Market Steer Show, Showmanship Contest and the statewide Skillathon, a beef production skills contest.

Thirteen breed champions were crowned during the Beef Heifer show, which celebrated its 51st anniversary this year. Lee-Allen Turner of the Dibrell community exhibited the Grand Champion Brangus Heifer. Lee-Allen’s heifer, Triple T MS Autumn, was also named the Grand Champion Bred-By-Exhibitor Heifer.

Lee-Allen’s younger brother, John-Adam, exhibited the Reserve Champion Bred-By-Exhibitor Brangus Heifer. In addition, John-Adam was named State Champion in the Showmanship contest for fourth-grade 4-H members. Lee-Allen and John-Adam are the sons of John and Terri Turner.

Another Warren County 4-H member had success at the Cumberland District 4-H Livestock Expo. Cody Walker exhibited the Grand Champion Polled Hereford Heifer at the District show in Cookeville. Cody’s heifer was named champion of the breed, in which more than 30 heifers were exhibited. While at Expo in Nashville, Cody had two class-winning heifers which made it to the final round of competition. Cody is the 13-year-old son of Eric and Pam Walker.

The District Expo is a preliminary event leading up to the State Expo. The Cumberland District Show was attended by 4-H members from 27 Middle and East Tennessee counties.