A 2016 graduate of Hampton High School was recently named the recipient of a regional 4-H scholarship that will help her pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian.
Ellie Campbell, who will be entering college this fall at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, received the Richard Shadden Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $250.
“I can use it at any college for anything, which is helpful,” Campbell said.
The scholarship is given in memory of the late Richard Shadden, who was the manager of the Appalachian Fair in Gray and was a long-time supporter of UT Extension and 4-H programs across the region. Shadden passed away in May 2011 and the scholarship set up in his honor is open to entering college freshman in any field of study at any college, university, technical or trade school. To be eligible to receive the scholarship, students must be a member of the 4-H program in either Carter, Greene, Hancock, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi or Washington Counties.
Campbell was involved in the 4-H program in Carter County for 9 years, primarily taking part in shows, competitions and clinics involving horses.
“I started in the 4th grade. I started showing horses,” Campbell said. “Every year since we’ve won county, regional and state.”
Campbell has been around horses her entire life. One might even say she was born to show horses.
“My parents showed horses. I was born on a Thursday and was at a horse show on that Saturday,” Campbell said with a laugh. “I got my first horse when I was 7 and it kind of just grew from there.”
Before joining 4-H, Campbell had participated in other horse showing events. But, once she fell in love with the 4-H program she stopped doing other events so she could focus on her 4-H competitions.
For the last seven years, her companion at events has been her beloved Paint horse, Gracie.

“She was born at the house. We trained her and did everything with her,” Campbell said. “I feel like she’s my child.”
“She started in her first show when she was 6 months old and she won state,” she added.
In addition to competing with Gracie, Campbell also shared her love of horses with other 4-H members, inspiring two other students to compete in horse showing and taking her trusty sidekick with her to put on Horse Clinics and Shows for the Johnson County 4-H program.
Though she has graduated high school, Campbell also plans to continue working with the program she has grown to love.
“I plan on doing collegiate 4-H at UT,” she said. “Gracie will be going to Knoxville with me so the Knoxville 4-H kids will get to work with her and learn about her. She is so good with kids.”
Campbell will soon begin her college career. She will be majoring in animal sciences with a focus on veterinary medicine. Campbell plans to specialize in eye surgery.
“I would like to save up money to come back and open up a vet clinic here and do large animals and small animals,” Campbell said.