Four University of North Georgia (UNG) students—Eric Brockman, Ashley Davis, Alyssa Foster, and Amy Arellano—recently showcased their talent at the 75th Ted Cameron National Poultry Judging Contest, sponsored by the US Poultry and Egg Association. Under the guidance of biology associate professor Dr. Linda Purvis and UNG junior Jacque Conner, the team brought home an impressive array of trophies.
Dr. Purvis expressed her pride in the team’s performance, stating, “I am so proud of this year’s students. They are all an amazing group of students who worked very hard to do so well at the competition. To be able to compete and perform at a high level with top agriculture colleges sets UNG apart. I hope that this year’s student successes inspire more students to consider joining our UNG poultry judging team and be a part of something truly special.”
The team achieved the following individual and team awards:
- Second place team in Division 3 Market Products
- Third place team in Division 1 Production
- Fifth place individual in Division 1 Production: Amy Arellano
- Fifth place individual overall: Amy Arellano
- Fifth place team overall
- Sixth place individual overall: Ashley Davis
- Sixth place team in Division 2 Breed Selection
Ashley Davis, a freshman pursuing a degree in poultry science, reflected on her experience, sharing, “I am very happy with how I did, placing sixth overall individually. I think it reflects the work I put in and shows how much I loved participating on the poultry judging team. Though I am no longer eligible to compete again and try for a higher placement, I know I gave it my all and these two semesters of poultry judging will always hold a special place in my heart.”
For students interested in joining the poultry judging team, inquiries can be made by emailing linda.purvis@ung.edu. The team is currently recruiting new members for next year’s competition and will commence practices in August when classes begin.
