Veteran exhibitors finish 4-H with market turkey wins

Two Logan County Fair exhibitors in their last year of 4-H came out on top in the Junior Fair Poultry Show Sunday afternoon, July 9, garnering the grand champion and reserve grand champion market turkey honors to cap off their careers.

Kendra Kennedy, a 2023 Benjamin Logan High School graduate and Friendly Farming 4-H member, was “so excited” that her grand champion turkey, a tom named “Greg,” was selected for the honor, among the “Brady Bunch”-themed names exhibited by Kendra (including her market turkey hen “Marsha”), and her four siblings and a friend this year.

“It takes lots and lots of time, and it’s a family affair,” the 10-year exhibitor said of raising turkeys and prepping them for the show, noting that “Greg” was picked out from their flock specifically for the contest.

Last year, the Zanesfield resident received the reserve grand champion turkey honors. In the fall, she plans to attend The Ohio State University at Lima and has a goal of working in primary education and as an intervention specialist.

In recent years, Kendra also has been active in FFA and the Junior Fair Board, and said she’ll still be a familiar face at the Logan County Fair even after her time in 4-H concludes.

Maria Henderson of East Liberty, a 2022 Benjamin Logan High School graduate, came back from her first year of college at Oberlin College for a busy week of showing animals at the fair.

“I didn’t want to miss this year,” she said, with the move pulling off well, as she received the reserve grand champion market turkey award.

The perennial winner also has received a grand champion market turkey award, along with a previous reserve award.

At Oberlin College, Maria is studying bio chemistry and environmental engineering and wants to pursue scientific research in the future.

The Manes & Ranes 4-H member also showed chickens at the poultry show, and later this week, will compete with her dairy goats and horses as well.

In the meat pen of chickens, two incoming Indian Lake Middle School eight-graders took the top two spots.

Reed Strayer, 14, won the grand champion meat pen award, while Alivia Kinney, 13, received the reserve champion honors, which was exciting for her after watching her sisters Allison and Alexandra take the top meat pen awards last year.

A Cool Clovers 4-H member, Alivia said she enjoyed the “challenging aspects of matching the chickens to make a good set.”

DeGraff area resident Reed is a member of the Riverside Hustlers 4-H and he noted that he won the grand champion roaster award several years ago as well in the poultry contest. This year is his fifth year showing animals.

In the roasters category, Alexandra Kinney took the champion roaster award and Eva Carney won the reserve champion roaster honors.