Hometown: Mountain View, Ark.
Age: 12
Parents: Austin and Amber Kennon
4-H Clubs: Stone County Ag and Livestock Club
Leader: Amber Kennon
What is your 4-H project?
“My projects are showing lambs and gardening. I tried goats, but after working with sheep for a year, I decided they were easier for me because the sheep are taller just like me. This year I also started a small herd of hair sheep. I have two ewes in addition to a ram I purchased from a breeder in Missouri. The pandemic slowed everything down and I had the idea of making a contract and using my ram to breed sheep for my dad, brother and sisters plus one neighbor. It’s worked well. I also have the front part of our big garden. I grow, can and sell jalapeños at local festivals. I also raise tomatoes, peas, radishes, broccoli and, this year, watermelons for the first time. I chose two seeded varieties so I could save seeds and not have to purchase them next year.”
How did you get started with 4-H?
“My dad is an agriculture teacher and the advisor for FFA so that is the stuff I was always around. When I was really young, I used to tag along with him and liked the things they did so I joined 4-H when I was 5. Two years later, when we moved to Mountain View, my mom became my 4-H advisor.”
Favorite 4-H moment, awards:
“I show market lambs and breeding ewes. Market Lambs are judged on meat quality and the ewes are judged by which is the most capable of producing the highest quality lambs.
“Two years ago, when I was 9, I went to the Arkansas State Fair for the first time. When you compete in showmanship, there are many competitors and they are divided into groups by age. Your first year you are a junior which means 9-13 years old. In each class a few top competitors were awarded a showmanship pin and had to have one in order to get to compete for the final showmanship round. I had just finished showing in my first class when the judge walked up to me and handed me something. I was confused for a moment and then saw it was a pin. I got terribly excited because many of the competitors were much older than me. I ended up in the top four overall junior showmanship that year and won Junior showmanship when I was 11. This year I was in the finals for the junior division with my sister and my brother which was really cool.”
