NCDA&CS Hosts the 2020 Youth Market Turkey Show, Keeps Safety in Mind

It’s been a difficult year, full of changes and unexpected challenges. Still, some things are continuing, though they don’t always look quite how we’re all used to seeing them. For example, the North Carolina State Fair was canceled, but the youth livestock shows, including the popular Youth Market Turkey Show, went on.

In the Lil Gobblers age bracket (5-8 year olds), 46 participants showed their turkeys. Barrett Devine of Rowan County won Grand Champion Lil Gobbler and Gabriella Baldwin of Buncombe County won Reserve Champion Lil Gobbler. Four participants showed their turkeys in a noncompetitive class.

There were 135 Juniors (9-13 years of age) and Seniors (14-18 years of age) competing for Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion honors.

For perhaps the first time in YMTS history, two sisters from Randolph County won Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion.  Cassidy Sharpe’s 44-pound turkey won Grand Champion and Brooklyn Sharpe’s 39-pound bird took Reserve Grand Champion.  Cassidy’s Grand Champion turkey won her a $1,500 check from Talley Farms. Her sister Brooklyn’s turkey won Brooklyn $1,000 from Farm Bureau Insurance and Talley Farms.

The show was different this year, but we especially want to thank Neil Bowman, Jimmy Collie and their team at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) for conducting this year’s show.

Thanks also go to the many sponsors who gave financial contributions in order to continue to offer this program. Finally, thank you to Butterball for donating the poults used in this program.

2020 YMTS Class Winners

Lil’ Gobbler (5-8 years old)

Name	Age Bracket	Class #	County
Cody Formisani	Lil Gobbler	Class 1	Johnston
Barrett Devine	Lil Gobbler	Class 2	Rowan
Emmy Kernodle	Lil Gobbler	Class 3	Alamance
Gabriella Baldwin	Lil Gobbler	Class 4	Buncome
Carson Walker	Lil Gobbler	Class 5	Randolph
Eric Allman	Lil Gobbler	Class 6	Randolph

Non-competitive Class

Name	Age Bracket	Class #	County
Fortino Castillo	Jr.	Class 7	Rockingham

Competitive Classes (Jr: 9-13 and Sr: 14-18 years old)

Name	Age Bracket	Class #	County
Eyan Wilson-Wise	Jr	Class 8	Randolph
Alexis Soles	Sr	Class 9	Edgecombe
Hattie Jo Powell	Jr	Class 10	Johnston
Joleen Windsor	Jr	Class 11	Alamance
Talton Correll	Jr	Class 12	Rowan
Houston Walker	Jr	Class 13	Randolph
Cassidy Sharpe	Sr	Class 14	Randolph
Abigail Shaeffer	Jr	Class 15	Granville
Johanna Slootweg	Jr	Class 16	Wake
Aiden Kernodle	Sr	Class 17	Alamance
Caroline Scarlett	Jr	Class 18	Randolph
Wilder Stovall	Jr	Class 19	Wake
Caitlin Proctor	Sr	Class 20	Wilson
Kendall Proctor	Sr	Class 21	Wilson
Jacob Meads	Jr	Class 22	Pasquotank
Brooklyn Sharpe	Sr	Class 23	Randolph