An opportunity to step up
More than 130 4-H and FFA members participate in annual statewide swine show
Story and photos by Allison Farley
More than 130 4-H and FFA members from across the state have spent months working toward a common goal: achieving success at the Tennessee Junior Swine Show, held this year under snowy skies that added an extra layer of challenge to their dedication.
To participate in this highly anticipated event, fourth- through twelfth-grade students spent countless hours training with their animals and ensuring they were a well-prepared duo ready to take on the challenges of the show ring—snowy weather and all.
Held Jan. 8-11 at the Hyder-Burks Agricultural Pavilion on the campus of Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, the event kicked off with the check-in and ultrasound carcass contest. Competitions such as the breeding gilt show, market hog show, showmanship, and skillathon were conducted Friday and Saturday.
This year’s show judge was Brian Arnold from Lafayette, Indiana. Arnold grew up showing livestock and judged with Black Hawk East College and Purdue University while pursuing his education. He worked as the livestock judging coach at Black Hawk prior to moving back to Indiana to work for the National Swine Registry. Today, he serves as a product manager for United Animal Health and enjoys judging livestock on both the state and national level.
“Showing livestock gives students many life skills, but the one I learned doing this that I use the most now is perception,” said Arnold. “Looking back, you don’t realize the sacrifice your parents made for you to show, or the outlook the judge had when analyzing the class. It also teaches you to stop only looking at life from only your point of view and to think about the bigger picture, too. That is a skill I hope my own kids who are showing age will now pick up as well.”
Phyllis Ferguson, executive vice president of the Tennessee Pork Producers Association, said that many students are making life-changing memories every time they compete.
“I love seeing so many young people interested in the pork industry,” said Ferguson. “The pork producers are also proud to partner with with Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) and Tennessee Farmers Co-op (TFC) to help these students gain valuable life experiences while learning responsibility, work ethic, and what it means to produce safe and secure protein.”
The TDA and TFC both sponsored biosecurity kits that included a 5-gallon bucket, a brush, and educational material on what steps 4-H and FFA members can take to keep their animals and farm safe from disease. TFC and ProTrition Feeds sponsored the event as a whole, with TFC providing all 840-RFID tags that the pigs are required to have and ProTrition rewarding the efforts of the grand and reserve champion winners of the Tennessee Bred Breeding Gilts division.
"At ProTrition Feeds, we understand the value of showing livestock because many of us have personal experience through 4-H and FFA," said John Houston, Director of Business Services at ProTrition Feeds. "We believe these projects are crucial for the growth of young people, and it's truly rewarding for us to support and recognize those who excel in these programs."
As the show came to an end, Arnold recognized all the work that the students had put in.
“That Co-op sign down there represents what this program is really all about — being ‘Driven to Serve’,” said Arnold. “These shows are an opportunity to step up and help others learn and grow.”
LEFT: This year’s show judge was Brian Arnold from Lafayette, Indiana. He grew up showing livestock and judged with Black Hawk East College and Purdue University while pursuing his education. Today, he serves as a product manager for United Animal Health and enjoys judging livestock on both the state and national level. RIGHT: Students like Joseph Henry, a 11th-grade McMinn County 4-H member, competed in areas such as breeding gilt show, market hog show, showmanship, and more.
Results for 2025 Tennessee State Swine Show Breeding Gilt Champion Drive Overall — Bailey Ball, Campbell, first; Audra Hart, Bledsoe, second; Braxton Burr, Overton, third; Kendall Hamilton, Clay, fourth; and Audra Hart, Bledsoe, fifth. Overall Tennessee Bred — Bailey Ball, Campbell, first; Kourtlyn White, Macon, second. Berkshire — Champion, Bailey Ball, Campbell, and Reserve Champion, Emma Rue, McMinn. Duroc — Champion, Jacie Phillips, Wilson, and Reserve Champion, Micah Crowder, Dyer. Spot — Champion, Kendall Hamilton, Clay, and Reserve Champion, Gavin Bade, Dickson. Yorkshire — Champion, Braxton Burr, Overton, and Reserve Champion, Audra Hart, Bledsoe. AOB — Champion, Barrett Hawley, Dyer, and Reserve Champion, Nate Larrance, Jefferson. Crossbred — Champion, Bailey Ball, Campbell, and Reserve Champion, Audra Hart, Bledsoe. Market Hog Champion Drive Overall — Bailey Ball, Campbell, first; Mary Carter Shirley, Putnam, second; Bailey Ball, Campbell, third; Mary Carter Shirley, Putnam, fourth; and Lettie Holt, Overton, fifth. Overall Tennessee Bred — Bailey Ball, Campbell, first; Bailey Ball, Campbell, second. Duroc — Champion, Bailey Ball, Campbell, and Reserve Champion, Mary Carter Shirley, Putnam. Hampshire — Champion, Honor Grace Burr, Overton, and Reserve Champion, Kate Mclerran, Clay. Yorkshire — Champion, Lettie Holt, Overton, and Reserve Champion, Audra Hart, Bledsoe. AOB — Champion, Bailey Ball, Campbell, and Reserve Champion, Braxton Burr, Overton. Crossbred — Champion, Bailey Ball, Campbell, and Reserve Champion, Mary Carter Shirley, Putnam. Prospect Purebred — Champion, Kylie Brawner, Clay, and Reserve Champion, Page Ritchey, Rhea. Commercial Prospect — Champion, Callie Carty, Unicoi, and Reserve Champion, Clayton Pitcock, McMinn. Carcass Class Hunter Leamon, McMinn, first; Cordell McLerran, Clay, second; Ben Likens, Clay, third; Erin Meadows, Clay, fourth; Lily Smith, Clay, fifth; Kason Ozburn, Maury, sixth; Jenna Thompson, Clay, seventh; Drew Larrance, Jefferson, eighth; Ruby Land, Bradley, ninth; and Kate Malerran, Clay, tenth. Showmanship Winners Explorer — Champion, Lettie Holt, Overton, and Reserve Champion, Barrett Hawley, Dyer.. Junior— Champion, Jacie Phillips, Wilson, and Reserve Champion, Reserve Champion, Honor Grace Burr, Overton. Junior High — Champion, Lilly White, Clay, and Reserve Champion, Rachel Burks, Clay. Senior Level 1 — Champion, Emma Rue, McMinn, and Reserve Champion, Jake Ozburn, Bedford. Senior Level 2 — Champion, Mary Carter Shirley, Putnam, and Reserve Champion, Drew Larrance, Jefferson. Skillathon Winners Explorer Division — William Zavaro, Williamson, first; Owen Johnson, Macon, second; Juna Loveday, Sevier, third; Harper Brown, Clay, fourth; and Barrett Hawley, Dyer, fifth. Junior Division — Jacie Phillips, Wilson, first; Anna Blankenship, Macon, second; Avery Loveday, Sevier, third; Caylee Cobble, Meigs, fourth; and Landon Jessee, Union, fifth. Junior High Division — Kate Mclerran, Clay, first; Owen Hesson, Macon, second; Kelsey Roark, Macon, third; Rachel Burks, Clay, fourth; and Mary Ella Blankenship, Macon, fifth. Senior Level 1 Division — Jayden Hesson, Macon, first; Jordyn Lee, Wilson, second; Jenna Thompson, Clay, third; Ben Likens, Clay, fourth; and Kylie Brawner, Clay, fifth. Senior Level 2 Division — Koye Russel, Macon, first; Caden McKnight, Monroe, second; Kendall Hamilton, Clay, third; Kenley Roark, Macon, fourth; and Erin Meadows, Clay, fifth.
Over 130 Tennessee 4-H and FFA members from 29 Tennessee counties, along with their 323 show pigs, gathered for a snowy 2025 Tennessee Junior Swine Show that was held Jan. 8-11 at the Hyder-Burks Agricultural Pavilion in Cookeville.
Premier Exhibitor Winners Explorer Division Breeding Gilt — William Zavaro, Williamson, first; Barrett Hawley, Dyer, second; Owen Johnson, Macon, third; Lettie Holt, Overton, fourth; and Audrey Kerrigan, McMinn, fifth. Explorer Division Market Hog — Owen Johnson, Macon, first; William Zavaro, Williamson second; Harper Brown, Clay, third; Barrett Hawley, Dyer, fourth; and Juna Loveday, Sevier, fifth. Junior Division Breeding Gilt — Jacie Phillips, Wilson, first; Bailey Ball, Campbell, second; Anna Blankenship, Macon, third; Caylee Cobble, Meigs, fourth; and Ashlynn Zavaro, Williamson, fifth. Junior Division Market Hog — Bailey Ball, Campbell, first; Jacie Phillips, Wilson, second; Ashlynn Zavaro, Williamson, third; Anna Blankenship, Macon, fourth; and Grace McLerran, Clay, fifth. Junior High Division Breeding Gilt — Rachel Burks, Clay, first; Mary Ella Blankenship, Macon, second; Owen Hesson, Macon, third; Kate McLerran, Clay, fourth; and Lily Smith, Clay, fifth. Junior High Market Hog — Kate McLerran, Clay, first; Owen Hesson, Macon, second; Rachel Burks, Clay, third; Mary Ella Blankenship, Macon, fourth; and Callie Carty, Unicoi, fifth. Senior Level 1 Division Breeding Gilt — Ben Likens, Clay, first; Jayden Hesson, Macon, second; Ian Johnson, Macon, third; Jodyn Lee, Wilson, fourth; and Emma Rue, McMinn, fifth. Senior Level 1 Division Market Hog — Jayden Hesson, Macon, first; Ben Likens, Clay, second; Ian Johnson, Macon, third; Jake Ozburn, Bedford, fourth; and Emma Rue, McMinn, fifth. Senior Level 2 Division Breeding Gilt — Kendall Hamilton, Clay, first; Seth Troglin, Cumberland, second; Nate Larrance, Jefferson, third; Abby Rippy, Sumner, fourth; and Ann Thomas Lowery, Dyer, fifth. Senior Level 2 Division Market Hog — Mary Carter Shirley, Putnam, first; Kendall Hamilton, Clay, second; Seth Troglin, Cumberland, third; Nate Larrance, Jefferson, fourth; and Ann Thomas Lowery, Dyer, fifth.
Students from 4thto 12th grade, like Cordell McLerran, a 11th-grade Clay County 4-H member, put their knowledge to their test during the skill-a-thon contest.
When looking around Hyder-Burks Agricultural Pavilion one thing is made apparent: this program is about building up youth by showing livestock surrounded by family and friends.
Bailey Ball, a 6th-grade Campbell County 4-H member, displays her Tennessee State Junior Swine Show Supreme Champion Market Hog surrounded by friends and family. Each year, the winner is presented with a Co-op print signed by the show judge.
Henry Holmberg, a 4th-grade Williamson County 4-H member, took home 5th place in the Explorer Showmanship division.
Story by Allison Farley,
Contact afarley@ourcoop.com