Hometown: Damascus, Ark.
Age: 10
Parents: Heath and Ashley Thomas
Siblings: Jackson Mix, Trip Mix and Rhodie Thomas
4-H Club: South Side Bee Branch 4-H
What is your involvement in agriculture? “I show registered Jersey dairy cows at the county, district and state level. For the first time, I was able to show a Limousin cross steer at our county fair this year. I have also shown Silkie chickens at our county fair.
“My farm chores include, but are not limited to, getting the heifers up every morning and afternoon to feed them, bottle feed whatever calves we have in the hutches and making sure they have clean water and grain, practice leading with whatever show heifers and cows we have so they are ready for the show ring, and sometimes helping milk the cows, when needed.
“My family is in dairy farming. We mainly raise and grow show-quality, registered Jerseys. We do sell some of our raw. Jersey milk from the farm but that is not our main priority; showing Jerseys is.”
What is your favorite part of being involved in agriculture/living on a farm? “Getting to show our farm-raised registered Jerseys in the show ring.”
What are your future plans? “My future plans is to become a large animal veterinarian. Mainly because there are very few large animal vets in our area and I want to be able to help our ag community as much as possible. “
Awards: Arkansas State Fair Junior Dairy Cattle Showmanship Winner (2022), Van Buren County Fair Junior Dairy Showmanship (2022 and 2023), Van Buren County Reserve Senior Dairy Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Dairy (2023), Arkansas State Fair Purple Circle Winner for Grand Champion Diary Cattle Junior Showmanship (2022) and Grand Champion Dairy Cattle Pee Wee Showmanship (2021).
