By Stephen Smoot
“Young people continue to be our future,” said Hardy County Commissioner and former West Virginia University Extension Agent David Workman. He added that Youth Day serves as “the opportunity to initiate them into the industry that is so important to us.” Importantly, young people can focus “not only on the consumption part, but also the production part.”
And Youth Day covers both of those bases.
Those participating came bright and early to compete that Wednesday morning. Some traveled only a few miles to get to the competition site at Moorefield High School. A team clad in matching green shirts came from Doddridge County to match their skills against the home standing teams from Hardy County, as well as Pendleton and Tucker.
Starting at 9:30 the various individuals and their teams opened the judging competition. Young people evaluated cuts of meat in different conditions, for example. After judging and ranking, the judges then requested in the “reasons” stage of the competition why the contestants had decided as they did.
Competitors not only showed their knowledge of poultry and related aspects of the industry. They also demonstrated public speaking, social, and other skills sometimes found wanting in young people.
After the youth luncheon came the opening of a type of competition different than that concluded in the morning. About 30 individuals in wide ranges of age made their way to large tents set up across the north parking lot from the high school. Awaiting them were small portable grills, charcoal, lighter fluid and, depending on which meat they preferred to cook, chicken or turkey breast.
Also, for almost a decade now, each received one of the most vital tools, a meat thermometer.
Cady Mitchell, an 11 year old rising sixth grader, shared how much she enjoyed the grilling competition and explained her chicken’s unique flavors.
“I used Italian dressing, then I put some seasoning, Kinders. Then I put Blue’s Hog,” she explained, and concluded of her masterpiece “I thought it was great!”
As in the judging competition, the two pillars of the event come in the form of both fun and learning. Mitchell explained that “I think it’s a lot of fun, seeing all of the experience out here, seeing all the cookers, learning how they cook chicken.”
At 3:15, all who participated gathered in the cafeteria of Moorefield High School to learn the names of the winners. Alex Smith of the Hardy County West Virginia University Extension Service announced the winners. Each winner had a photograph taken with Poultry Queen Madeline Johnson, Teen Queen Aubrey Simmons, or one of the younger members of the Court.
First all there got to christen the new inflatable chicken mascot that had greeted visitors at the door that morning. After great discussion, it was concluded that his name must always and forever be “Cluck Norris.”
In the juniors category, Pendleton Juniors A took first place with 1,395 points. Kallie Keyser, Tia Heavner, and Branson Smith made up that squad.
Hardy County Juniors A earned second place with 1,233. Cady Mitchell, Lelia Bradford, Dannika Vetter, and Allison Ours composed that team. Hardy Juniors C also placed with a score of 1,022 posted by Geoffrey Williams, Grant Alt, and Wyatt Martin.
Senior team results saw Hardy County Seniors A, composed of Ronan Straight, Marcus Cremann, Brylee Reel, and Emily Parish earn first place with 1,416 points. Hardy County Seniors B came in right behind in second place. Riley Cullers, Drake Kimble, and Emily See earned 1,221 points.
The top five in juniors were Kallie Keyser of Pendleton Juniors A with 553 points, then Brett Webb from Doddridge County with 481, Cady Mitchell from Hardy Juniors A with 481, Bryce Herndon from Doddridge County with 448, and Tia Heavner from Pendleton A with 443.
In Seniors individual scoring, Ty Heavner from Pendleton County A earned first place with 564, Makinley Branson from Hardy County took second with 548, then Katie Keyser from Pendleton Seniors B with 544, Ronan Straight 511, then Jocelyn Sherman with 505.
