Contact Information
Sarah Brazle
Extension Agent III
Phone: (615) 563-2554
Email: sferrell@tennessee.edu
Jaclyn Hare-Smith
TSU/ 4-H Agent
Phone: (615) 563-2554
Email: jharesmi@utk.edu
August 2025
Grades 9th – 12th
Good consumer skills can help you get more for your money. Consumer Decision Making gives youth the opportunity to make wise decisions when shopping. Consumer Decision Making is a judging contest designed to teach kids to observe, compare and make consumer based decisions based on facts. 4-Hers use their consumer knowledge to rank similarly based products to fit a given scenario. Kids learn to organize their thoughts and to defend their decisions in oral reasons.
April 2025 MTSU
Jr. Teams – Grades 4th & 5th
Jr. High Teams – Grades 6th – 8th
Sr. High Teams – Grades 9th – 12th
Livestock Judging teaches criteria based on breeding characteristics and market standards. 4-Her’s will learn to judge market and breeding sheep, swine, cattle, and sometimes goats.
Livestock Judging Resource List
Livestock Judging Training PowerPoint
August 2025
Jr. Teams – N/A
Jr. High Teams – Grades 6th – 8th
Sr. High Teams – Grades 9th – 12th
The outdoor meat cookery competition is a team that consists of 4 members in which each student prepares one of the following meats for judging: beef, lamb, pork, and poultry. Judging is based upon grilling, taste, and presentation.
Outdoor Meat Cookery Guidelines
Outdoor Meat Cookery – Individual Scorecard
Outdoor Meat Cookery – Team Platter Presentation
Outdoor Meat Cookery PowerPoint
August 2025
Jr. Teams – 4th & 5th
Jr. High Teams – Grades 6th – 8th
Sr. High Teams – Grades 9th – 12th
Poultry Judging participants learn USDA standards in grading ready-to-cook poultry and eggs.
Poultry Judging – Dressed Market
Poultry Judging – Egg Candling
Poultry Judging – Exterior Quality Eggs
Poultry Judging – Parts ID
Poultry Judging – Placing Card
Poultry Judging – Broken Out Eggs
Poultry Slides
Poultry Judging Publication
September 2025
Grades – 6th – 8th
LifeSkills is a program for Junior High youth enrolled in 4-H. The LifeSkills regional judging activity consists of centers that incorporate various subjects in Family and Consumer Sciences.
Regional Clover Bowl Contest – 4th – 8th Grades
May 2025
The purpose of the Clover Bowl is to acquaint 4-H members with themselves and their surroundings through participating in an enjoyable and educational program. In addition to this main purpose, it is hoped that this program will help participants develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills. Questions will be in the areas of 4-H, Tennessee (History, Geography, and Government), Agriculture and Family and Consumer Sciences.
September 2025
Jr. Teams – N/A
Jr. High Teams – Grades 5th – 7th
Sr. High Teams – 8th – 11th
Land judging is a program that can help you learn about soil and protecting and conserving land, water, and the environment.
Horse Bowl-This program is available for 4-H members in grades 4 – 12. This is a county team competition with a team consisting of 3 or 4 members. Members will be asked questions taken from the Tennessee 4-H Horse Bowl Handbook. The competition is much like the game of jeopardy. 4-H members will be asked questions while using an electric buzzer system. The team will receive points for correct answers and penalty points for incorrect answers. Held in January.
Hippology-This program is available for 4-H members in grades 4 – 12. This is a county team competition as well as an individual competition. The contest is a test of basic knowledge related to the Horse Industry. The contest is composed of a 50-question written test, a 50-question identification test, and two classes of horse judging worth 100 points. Team members and high individuals will receive awards based on highest points scored. Held in January.
Regional Hippology/Horse Bowl Contest January 18, 2025, at Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN.
March-2025
This program is available to 4-H members in grades 4 – 12. This is a county team competition as well as an individual competition. This contest is made up of 3 or 4 team members. Members will judge 6 to 8 classes of horses evaluated on conformation and performance qualities and must defend their placing with 2 or 3 sets of oral reasons.
August-2025
4-H Forestry Judging is open to 4th to 12th graders. In Forestry Judging, youth will learn to identify trees, insects and diseases found in trees in Tennessee forests. Youth will also learn to measure trees, evaluate timber, use and compass and practice pacing. The goal for these practices will be to prepare youth for the Central Region 4-H Forestry Judging contest held on September 28, 2025 at the Cedars of Lebanon State Park in Lebanon, TN.
4-H FCS Skillathon is open to any 6th-12th grade 4-H member. In FCS Skillathon, youth will learn to identify materials, equipment, and techniques in the areas of Foods and Cooking, Clothing and Sewing, and Housing and Interior Design. The goal for these practices will be to prepare youth for the Central Region 4-H FCS Skillathon contest held April 17, 2025 at the Lane Agri Park in Murfreesboro.
