West Fork kid’s Royal Palm Named Grand Champion 

By Dave Woods • dwoods@officialkidsmag.com

Triston B. has a longtime affection for turkeys. His passion for these animals led him to having the Grand Champion turkey at the poultry show this year!

“I’ve always loved turkeys,” the West Fork seventh grader said. “They are my favorite animals. They are just fun to play with. I used to raise turkeys with one of my neighbors and I used to run through the turkey houses and play with them.”

For a few days each year, hundreds of kids and adults bring their prized livestock to the Washington County Fairgrounds and face off hoping to win a title and take home cash and prizes for the biggest and best in their categories.  

While raising the meaty birds can be fun, it can also be profitable. 

“I got into it because you can win money and get to experience what livestock is like,” the 12-year-old explained. “It’s fun because you get to hang around animals.”

Official Kids Mag caught up with Triston inside the poultry barn at the recent fair. Triston was hanging out and talking turkey with a few seasoned poultry show veterans. 

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said, of showing his livestock competitively.  “You get to play around the fair and meet people. You meet a lot of people who want to know about your animals.”

This year, Triston took top honors with his prize bird. 

“I got grand champion,” he said with pride. “He’s a Royal Palm. He’s 26-weeks old.”

When asked about his bird’s name, Triston quickly responded: “It’s bad news if you start naming your animals. It is for me at least.”

Triston, detailed the plans for his nameless champion. 

“It will be in an auction,” he noted. “It’s a premium auction, so I get to keep the turkey and the money. I’ll have him until he dies because he’s a breeder and I’m going to breed him.”

When asked where his bird’s grand champion ribbon was, Triston smiled. 

“I can’t put the ribbon the cage,” he laughed. “He’ll eat it before the auction.”

Showing turkeys isn’t Triston’s only sweet spot. He shows chickens and pigs, too. He has no intention of quitting his hobby anytime soon. 

“I’ll do it until I can’t do it no more,” he said, suddenly serious in tone.  “It’s a wide open competition and I show against adults, too. It’s just a lot of fun. You get to hang around with your friends and get money and ribbons and prizes. You get rewards and bragging rights because you can say you did something that no one else has done, like raise a grand champion.”

Learn more about Royal Palm turkeys from the Livestock Conservancy.