Marion County 4-H Club Members Maddie Ashburn and Evan England brought home the Reserve Champion Award in the Family and Consumer Sciences Presentation Contest at Western National Roundup held recently in Denver, Colorado.
In their presentation entitled “Cast Iron Cooking 101” they discussed the health benefits of cooking in cast iron as well as demonstrated how to clean and season cookware. The pair was coached by Volunteer Leader, Debbie Bible and 4-H Agent, Vicki Lofty.
Western National Roundup provides a place for youth to compete nationally while encouraging teamwork and self-confidence. Youth from 35 states attended the 100-year-old event. This year’s theme was Celebrating a Century of Leaders.
The youth enjoyed attending the National Western Stock Show Parade to kick off the event. Over 40 longhorn cattle walking through the streets of downtown Denver along with marching bands, floats, horseback riders, performing cowgirls and cowboys was an incredible sight.
While in Denver the youth and leaders participated in educational tours, workshops and heard motiva- tional speakers. The US Mint tour covered the present state of coin manufacturing and the history of the Mint. While visiting Estes Park, the base of Rocky Mountain National Park, the group enjoyed seeing Elk in their natural habitat, they also enjoyed hiking and sledding in the snow. The Llama/Alpaca Show, strolling through the cattle barns and viewing and visiting hundreds of vendors and exhibitors at Colora- do’s largest western trade show was also an entertaining and educational experience.
Ashburn is a senior at Marion County High School and England is a senior at Richard Hardy Memorial School. Both 4-H Club Members have participated in numerous national 4-H events, have won 4-H scholarships and received Vol State, the highest recognition a member can received. They once again represented Marion County and Tennessee well, at Western National Roundup.
