Location: Campbell Area, Virginia Tech Campus, Blacksburg, Virginia

Awards: Plaques, ribbons.

• From the State Contest, the top four senior teams (all members must be 14 years or older as of January 1, of the current year) and highest scoring 4-H member (18 years of age or older if not a member of top 4 teams at the State Contest) are invited to compete at a 2 day intensive training and top two team (A & B) selection. The team with the highest team score (combined scores of the three highest team members) will be Virginia Team #A. The team with the second highest team score will be Virginia Team #B.

• Team B will compete the Regional Contest in Georgia during the last Saturday in September. Team A will be representing Virginia at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference.

• Also, the highest scoring 4-H member (18 years of age or older not a member of Team A or B) at the 2 day intensive training can compete at Regionals for the Virginia independent individual representing Virginia at Nationals.

Model your training sessions and contests after the format of the State Contest. This gets the team accustomed to what is expected of them and helps them learn to manage their time in each class.

• A poultry judging team is composed of 3 or 4 members. The combined scores of the 3 high team members will be counted as the team score. Each team member must meet all the requirements of eligibility for judging awards which are set forth in the Virginia 4-H Awards Handbook and National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference. All 4-H teams that compete at the state contest must have competed in a qualifying event.

• In the judging contest, due to a conflict between state rules and National rules all members of Senior teams must meet the National 4-H requirements to be eligible to advance to the next level of competition (i.e., state team run-off, Regional or National Competition). All youth 13 years old are encouraged to compete at state as independent individuals. If a team member does not meet national age requirements, the entire team will be in-eligible to advance. Requirements state "All contestants must be 14-18 years old as of January 1 of the current year." Any teams with an eligible individuals will not be allowed to continue beyond state competition.

• Publication 408-050 "Poultry Judging" (1999 version) - should be used to train team members. The VHS video tape entitled "Poultry Judging" is an excellent training tape available through Curtis Novak's office, however, many units already have a copy available at the local level.

• The National Team will be selected using the following select procedures:

• The top four senior teams at the state contest are invited to compete at a 2 day intensive training and the top two teams (A & B) selection. The team with the highest team score (combined scores of the three high team members) will be Virginia Team #A. The team with the second highest team score will be Virginia Team #B.

• Team A & B will then both compete against each other at the Regional Contest at the Virginia State Fair during the last Saturday in September. The team which scores the highest team score at the Regional Contest will be the team representing Virginia at Nationals. The Team A will compete for awards at the Regional Contest.

• The independent individual representing Virginia at Nationals will be selected as follows:

• All 4-H members 18 years of age or older in the top 5 senior individuals at the State Contest and/or member of the top four teams are invited to compete at a 2-day intensive training and selection workshop (See above). The highest scoring 4-H member 18 years of age or older and not on Teams A or B after selection process will be invited to earn the opportunity to compete at Nationals at the Regional Contest at the Virginia State Fair during the last Saturday in September.

• The highest scoring 4-H member 18 years of age or older at the Regional Contest not a member of the National team will represent Virginia at Nationals as our independent individual.

• No member can compete in an event if they have already participated at 4-H Nationals in that event.

1. Prior Registration is required by June 7, 2002. No late entries will be accepted.

2. All youth must be registered members of a 4-H Club to be eligible to participate.

3. Each Unit can only enter two (2) teams or eight (8) youth in each division. At least one (1) adult from the Unit must be in attendance for every two teams entered.

4. The two age divisions are as follows:

Division I 4-H Intermediate: 4-H youth 10 years of age as of October 1, 2001 and not older than 14 years of age as of December 30, 2000.

Division II 4-H Senior: 4-H youth 14 years of age and not older than 18 years of age as of January 1, 2002.

6. Placing cards will be provided for all contestants when they check in. Each contestant will write the placing on the proper card and hand it to the monitor before shifting to the next class.

7. Teams will be divided so that no two contestants from the same team will be in the same group. Each group will remain together throughout the contest.

8. Nine minutes will be allowed for placing each class. Also, a maximum of two minutes will be allowed each contestant for giving oral reasons on Classes A & B. Qualified judges will listen to and score oral reasons on the two production classes. Using notes while giving reasons will not be permitted.

DIVISION I: Egg Production - Hens Perfect score - 500 points

Class A, B, BR, C and CR - You will judge eight (8) hens for their past production qualities (4 hens in Class A and 4 in Class B). The birds which show the best production qualities should be placed first, worst last. This is comparison judging. Birds in this class must be handled. Contestants will give reasons on each class (AR, BR). No notes are allowed while giving reasons. Twenty (2) points will be deducted if notes are used. If contestants are not properly prepared or give inadequate reasons, they will be scored accordingly. Junior contestants are not required to give reasons, however, they can if they would like to give reasons for practice and judges comments. Each class is worth 100 points.

DIVISION II: Market Poultry Perfect score - 500 points

Class D, E, and F - Classes D and E will be composed of ten (10) Ready-to-Cook Broilers. Class F will be composed of ten (10) Ready-to-Cook Turkey Carcasses. All carcasses will be judging according to USDA standards and graded A, B, or C quality.

Carcasses are not to be handled. Each class will be worth 100 points. Five (5) points will be deducted for each grade separation line crossed. Ten (10) points will be deducted if the contestant fails to enter a grade or if more than one grade is entered.

Class G and H - Will consist of ten (10) mixed poultry parts. Each contestant is to identify the parts by name. The parts can not be handled. Ten (10) points will be deducted for each incorrect answer.

DIVISION III: Eggs Perfect score - 400 points

Class I - Will be composed of 20 white eggs to be judged for Interior Quality by candling them and grading them AA, A, B or Inedible. One (1) point will be deducted for each grade separation line crossed except when the line between B and inedible is crossed, then three (3) points will be deducted. Five (5) points will be deducted if a contestant fails to enter a grade or enters more than one grade for an egg.

Class J and K - Will be composed of 25 eggs to be graded for Exterior Shell Quality and graded A, B, or Dirty. One (1) point will be deducted if the A-B line is crossed and three (3) points deducted if the B-Dirty line is crossed. Four (4) points will be deducted if a contestant fails to enter a grade or if multiple grades are entered for an egg.

Class L - Will be composed of ten (10) broken-out eggs to be judged for Interior Quality and graded AA, A, B or Inedible. Three (3) points will be deducted for each grade separation except the line between B and Inedible is crossed, then four (4) points will be deducted. Ten (10) points will be deducted if a contestant fails to enter a grade or enters multiple grades for an egg.

Total Possible Score - 1400 points

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