Members of the Warren County 4-H Outdoor Meat Cookery team not only learn grilling techniques, they are taught proper food safety and handling methods, as well as the importance of presentation. 
After many months of weekly practice sessions preparing marinades and rubs to ensure the best flavor for their cut of meat, they took their skills to the regional competition. The contest was held during the Wilson County Fair in Lebanon, with a total of 145 participants.
This year’s teams consisted of Junior Team A members Jacob Scott, Hannah Sanders, Conner Smith and Will Prater.
Junior Team B included Jake Mayes, KeyLe Rhea, Keaton McGuinness and Molly Dodd. Carl Parris competed as a junior high individual.
The senior high team consisted of Ethan Hitchcock, Grant Hitchcock, Ben Davis and Blake Waldron. The two senior high individuals were Erica Cantrell and Patrick Colwell. 
Teams also had the option to create a theme-based table to display their meats. Junior Team A chose Grand Ole Opry as their theme and Junior Team B’s theme was Tennessee Home Sweet Home.
Jacob Scott received first place overall in the junior high beef category, Jake Mayes won first place in poultry and Hannah Sanders received first place in pork.
In addition, KeyLe Rhea received third place in the lamb category, while Carl Parris earned a spot in the top 10 for pork. 
Junior team B won first place junior team and third place in platter presentations. Junior team A placed fifth overall and received first place in platter presentation. Ethan Hitchcock was recognized in the top 10 for poultry.