Ruth Hall was named an Youth Animal Science All Star the first year that horses were added to the program.
Since the 1970s, the Tennessee 4-H Animal Science Program has provided youth with hands-on experiences with agricultural animals. The program includes shows for beef and dairy cattle, sheep, swine, goats and horses. Youth care for, prepare and show their animals throughout the year. Recently, the new Youth Animal Science All Star program highlights the top achievers.
The program centers around the learning experience.
“They’re learning life and animal skills,” says Aaron Fisher, youth livestock and equine specialist in the University of Tennessee’s Department of Animal Science. “They’re also learning communication, teamwork, discipline, and how to handle success and failure. Our youth are building skills that will help them throughout life.”
Ruth Hall is a Youth Animal Science All Star because of her success showing horses.
All Star Achievements
Established in 2019, the Youth Animal Science All Star program recognizes youth who excel in multiple aspects of 4-H Animal Science.
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“We identify youth as All Stars for winning champion animal, showmanship, skillathon or premier exhibitor at all the shows,” Fisher explains. “We also recognize the top judging teams across the animal science disciplines.”
Last year, 150 youth were recognized at the annual banquet as Animal Science All Stars. Read on to meet a few of the honored 4-H’ers.
Ruth Hall, Blount County
Ruth Hall has been showing horses since she was seven years old.
At seven years old, Ruth Hall, a high school freshman from Blount County, began taking riding lessons at the Elders Last Lap Ranch. Each year, the ranch hosts the Blount County 4-H Horse Show, an event that she had always wanted to participate in. By fourth grade, she decided to lease a horse and start showing.
Over the past five years, Hall has shown several horses, including Murphy, an American Quarter Horse, and Murray, an American Miniature; she’s won numerous awards and championships. Notably, Hall and Murray have been the reigning High Point champions in the junior division at state for the past four years.
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To stay show-ready, Hall takes riding lessons once a week and rides on her own two or three times a week:
“I ride more over the summer,” she says. “That’s when most of the shows are taking place.”
Participating in 4-H has taught her many life skills, including communication and responsibility.
Ruth Hall won the Youth Animal Science All Star Junior High All Around High Point for the state in the horse program.
“In fifth grade, my mom encouraged me to enter the communications contest at the state 4-H Horse Show,” Hall says. “I was nervous, but I did it, and I’ve been doing it every year since.”
Her hard work and dedication came full circle when she was invited to the 4-H awards banquet to receive an Youth Animal Science All Star award. That same evening, she learned she’d won the Junior High All Around High Point for the state in the horse program.
“When I got the email, I was so excited,” Hall says. “This is the first year that horses have been recognized, so it was really special.”
Hall credits her parents, her coach, Delaney Rostad, Extension Agent Amy Berger and Dr. Jenny Ivy for her success and plans to continue showing horses for years to come.
Youth Animal Science All Star and Dickson County 4-H’er, Knox Logan, is a junior ambassador for the Junior American Boer Goat Association and shows across the country.
Knox Logan, Dickson County
Knox Logan started showing animals after watching his cousin in FFA.
“He was showing at the county fair, so we went, and I showed a little goat in pee-wee,” says Logan, a seventh grader from Dickson County. “After that, my parents purchased two goats, and the rest is history.”
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In the 4-H livestock program, Logan shows goats, swine and beef, with goats being his favorite. He is a junior ambassador for the Junior American Boer Goat Association and shows across the country. For cattle and swine, he competes statewide. Each day, Logan feeds, washes and prepares his animals for shows.
According to his mother, Erica, livestock programs have taught Logan valuable life lessons, including how to win and lose with grace.
Knox Logan from Dickson County has been showing goats since he could only show in the pee-wee classes.
“When he’s in the show ring, he may not place as high as he’d hoped,” she says. “He’s learning to accept the judge’s opinion, not letting it get him down and going back out the next day. He has learned to take feedback very well from this industry.”
Logan has also learned important skills like public speaking and handling pressure.
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“At state, regional and national shows, I’m able to participate in contests such as public speaking and sales talks,” he says. “It’s helped me in school when talking with teachers or selling my livestock at various sales or private treaty. I’ve definitely gained confidence in speaking.”
When presented with the Animal Science All Star award, Logan felt recognized for his hard work.
“Logan being recognized as a Youth Animal Science All Star program is very exciting,” Erica says. “To see your kid work hard at something and for that hard work to be recognized by others really means a lot.”
Knox Logan shows goats, swine and beef cattle.
Kendall Hamilton, Clay County
Kendall Hamilton grew up on a chicken farm in Clay County. She’s always loved animals but had little experience with pigs and sheep. In the fourth grade, she purchased two pigs and joined her local 4-H livestock program.
Kendall Hamilton, a Youth Animal Science All Star from Clay County
“At first, I just had fun with it,” says Hamilton, a freshman at the University of Tennessee. “But as I got more involved, I started showing sheep, pigs and goats. Then I added livestock judging. At that point, I was getting more competitive and working a lot harder.”
Hamilton and her animals work together to prepare for show season. Sheep season begins in April, pig season kicks off in October, and livestock judging takes place year-round.
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All that hard work has taught her valuable life lessons. Through 4-H, Hamilton has gained communication and decision-making skills and developed a strong work ethic.
“It takes dedication and responsibility to work with animals,” she says. “You’re responsible for them. If you want to be competitive, you have to work and interact with your animals every day.”
Tennessee 4-H Sheep Expo; Photo credit: Rebecca Stone
Winning the Animal Science All Star award was a big accomplishment for Hamilton.
“I don’t think people realize how much work goes into it,” she says. “While all my friends are going out and doing things, I’m at the barn. But to be competitive and successful, that’s what you have to do. Getting rewarded for that – I saw all my hard work come into focus.”