Have you ever attended a livestock show and wondered why the
judge placed the animals in a certain order? One area of 4-H that
teaches 4-H members about product selection and evaluation is 4-H
Judging Teams. Judges you see at
livestock and horse shows can
often trace their beginnings in judging back to county 4-H judging
programs.
So, what is judging and how
does it impact judging team members? If you ask any current or
former judging team member, they
could probably go on and on about
the positive learning experiences
and their opportunities to meet
new people and travel to new places.
JUDGING TEAM AWARD PROGRAMS
GENERAL RULES
- All 4-H members enrolled in the 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th school grade on January 1 during the calendar year of the state contest, and who have completed at least five months of club work during the current 4-H year, are eligible for all senior division judging teams on the state level.
- *Exception: Participants in the state land judging and forestry judging contests must be in the 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th school grade on January 1 during the calendar year of the state contest.
- Members of a team shall represent the same county and belong to 4-H in that county.
- Each county may enter three teams of three or four individuals in each senior judging contest on the regional level.
- Counties may enter one or two individuals in each judging area on the regional level when it is not possible to enter a team of three or four individuals. These individuals would be eligible for individual recognition and could serve as substitutes.
- In case a member of a regional judging team, eligible for state or national competition, cannot participate in the state or national contest, substitution may be made by the 4-H agent from other 4-H members who participated in the same regional judging contest either as an individual or as a member of a second or third team from that county. No more than two members may be substituted. At least two members of the original team must compete in the event. In case a county has three teams eligible for the state contest in the same judging area, no substitutions will be allowed unless they come from within those teams.
- Each region will send four teams to the state contest in all areas.
*Exceptions: Dairy, dairy products, and poultry are non-qualifying events. There is no limit as to the number of teams that may participate from a county.
Forestry – each region can only send three teams to the state contest. - Members of each state winning team and the second place land judging team shall be ineligible to participate on the same team again; however, if still eligible, may participate on other teams.
- A state 4-H project winner may participate on judging teams if otherwise eligible.
- All team members who represent Tennessee in any national 4-H judging contest must have passed their 14th birthday and cannot have passed their 19th birthday on January 1 of the year the national contest is held.
- If regional contests are held in the same calendar year as the state contest, members who enter the junior high division must be in the 7th or 8th school grade on January 1. For regional contests held in the calendar year prior to the state contest, members who enter the junior high division must be in the 6th or 7th school grade on January 1.
*Exception: Participants in junior high land judging and forestry judging contests must be in the 6th or 7th school grade on January 1 during the calendar year of the state contest. - State sponsorship funds to national contests will be forfeited unless a qualified team represents Tennessee in the national event.
Wildlife
Grades 4th-12th
Contest: Dates coming soon.
The Tennessee 4-H Wildlife Judging Contest is designed to teach 4-H youth about the fundamentals of wildlife ecology and management.
Most people care about wildlife to some degree and want to make sure wildlife and the habitat they require are healthy and productive. Others want to manage their property to attract more wildlife for hunting or viewing and enjoyment.
Many people simply want to be good stewards of their property and know they are doing what they can to ensure a healthy environment, which includes caring for plant and animal communities.
However, it is also important to have a plan for dealing with problems associated with wildlife, such as home and property damage.
The UT Extension wildlife program strives to make information on these topics and more available for everyone.
Topics: Wildlife identification, skulls, hides, calls, wildlife management practices
Livestock Judging
Grades 4th-12th
The Tennessee Youth Animal Science program provides real-life educational opportunities that allow youth to develop animal skills and learn about animal-related careers. More importantly, they learn what it means to be responsible for something other than themselves. This is one part of a larger youth development program that aims to develop young people who will have a positive impact in their communities and the world.
These opportunities are accomplished through animal exhibitions and educational contests where youth are able to showcase the skills and knowledge learned through their animal project work, as well as through educational workshops and experiences where they are exposed to animal science professionals who are leaders in their given field and their cutting-edge research, Extension, and teaching programs.
Grill Master
Grades 6th-12th
Topics: Grill safety, safe food handling, grilling techniques
Consumer Decision Making
Grades 9th-12th
Consumer Decision Making trains young people in decision making skills related to purchasing decisions. The contest teaches how to observe, compare and make decisions based on facts collected. It also provides experience in organizing thoughts and defending decisions with oral reasons. Team members learn to rank articles or products over others based on standards and quality. At the regional and state competitions, participants will apply skills and knowledge in Family and Consumer Sciences subject matter by visiting a series of activity centers and completing knowledge, skill or application activities at each center. The centers consist of both competitive (individual) and scored cooperative (team) activities.
Topics: best shopping practices, decision making skills
Forestry Judging
Grades 4th-12th
The Tennessee 4-H Forestry Judging contest helps youth develop a deeper understanding of practical forest management skills, as well as an appreciation for the overall importance of conserving forestland.
Topics: tree identification, insect/disease identification, compass & pacing, tree measurement
Divisions
> Junior (4th-5th grade)
> Junior High (6th-8th grade)
> Senior (9th-12th grade)
POULTRY
Grades 4th-12th
The 4-H Animal Science Program offers Tennessee youth valuable educational opportunities through raising, exhibiting, and judging livestock and poultry.
4-H Animal Science participants are challenged with real-life issues as they learn responsibility through raising, showing, and judging poultry and livestock.
Topics: Judging past production hens, chicken parts id, egg grading, broken out egg grading, processed products, carcass quality
FCS Skill-a-thon
Grades 6th-12th
Family and Consumer Sciences Skillathon is a judging team that allows for participants the opportunity to learn about and identify different tools and techniques used within the following fields: Sewing and Clothing, Interior Design, and Food and Cooking. Participants will also evaluate two food judging classes, and develop answers to a team problem.
Topics: Sewing, food & nutrition, interior design
Horse Bowl & Hippology
Grades 4th-12th
Horse Bowl is a high-speed contest that challenges youth to learn scientific information about topics: horse nutrition, reproduction, genetics, behavior, health, equine history, and management.
Hippology (The Study of Horses) Contest allows 4-H youth to demonstrate skills they have learned about in all-things equine science, and horse judging.
Topics: Care, management, horse industry topics, nutrition, tack and breeds.
Land Judging
Grades 6th-12th
Topics: evaluate conformation, evaluate performance, Reason for 9th-12th