Members of the Buckles and Banners 4-H Club of Hempstead County will soon be competing on the national level at the North American International Livestock Expo in Louisville, Kentucky. They won 1st place in the senior division of the 2021 Arkansas 4-H Livestock Judging Contest in April at Barton Coliseum, Little Rock. Team members are Sara Sweat, Anna Sweat, Sawyer Bell, and Kiersten Priddy.

Sara Sweat is a freshman at Southern Arkansas University studying agricultural science. Anna Sweat is at 9th grader at Nashville Junior High and lives in McCaskill. Sara and Anna’s parents are Chris and Denise Sweat. Sawyer Bell, a 9th grader at Columbia Christian School, is the son of Brian and Leslie Bell of Stamps. Kiersten Priddy, daughter of Neil and Lauren Priddy, is a 9th grader at Stillmeadow Academy and lives in Nashville.

Sara, Anna, and Kiersten are active members of the American Junior Simmental Association where Sara is a junior board member. They compete regularly in speaking and judging events, competing this summer in Tennessee, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas. Sawyer raises Angus cattle and rodeos in the steer wrestling event with his horse, Mo. This team was also the 2021 State 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl Champions and Reserve Champion Livestock Skillathon Team.