Stock show receipts could possibly break previous sale records
By Sam Waller
The 2023 Shackelford Youth and Livestock Show benefitted from good weather and potentially record-setting sales as it concluded Saturday, Jan. 21 with a premium sale for show participants,.
The show, which was dedicated to the memory of former participant Boone Askew, featured 245 animal projects exhibited by 147 Shackelford County 4-Hers and FFA students from Moran and Albany. The numbers were higher than last year’s 236 projects and 130 exhibitors.
“We had a really successful show,” Shackelford Youth and Livestock Association president Bronco Askew said. “I think everybody was pleased with the way it all turned out. When you get good weather, everything just works out better.”
Top Hand
Tara Cauble, an Albany seventh grader who exhibited goats, was named the show’s Top Hand for her participation.
“That girl’s a force in herself,” Askew said. “She saved a lot of steps for us grownups. She was well deserving even though she’s on the younger end of the crowd. She doesn’t mind working.”
Askew said Cauble assisted in feeding and clipping animals in addition to her numerous other activities.
That level of participation is one thing that makes the county show special, Askew said.
“This is the biggest extracurricular event for county kids,” he said. “They seem to all like to do it. I wish everybody could be a winner, but that’s just not the way it happens.”
Boone Askew Tribute
Boone Askew, a grandson of Bronco Askew, was killed in a motor vehicle accident on Oct. 23. He had taken part in the Shackelford County show as a youth before moving to Comanche.
“Boone started here in Shackelford County and showed cattle and pigs three or four years,” Bronco Askew said. “This is where he got his start.”
Judging
Hawley agriculture teacher and FFA adviser Keith Porter took over judging the show this year, handling all six animal species – cattle, swine, goats, sheep, rabbits, and poultry.
“I think we had a great judge,” Askew said. “He seemed to be a kid-oriented judge, and that’s the name of the game. And he enjoyed himself.”
Champion Animals
For the second year in a row, Kenzie Neve and Gracie Price claimed top prizes in the cattle classes. Neve repeated with both grand and reserve champion steers, while Price again had grand and reserve champion heifers.
Neve also won the cattle showmanship award.
In the show’s newest event, Gage Burton won the commercial steer class.
Crew Spencer showed the grand champion barrow with a medium-weight light cross. Creed Spencer had the reserve champion with a lightweight dark cross.
Paige Price exhibited the grand champion gilt with a heavyweight dark cross, while Colter Edgar won reserve champion gilt with his lightweight Duroc.
Swine showmanship awards went to Leddie Leech in the senior division and Cash Edgar in the junior division.
In the goat judging, Alli McDaniel had the grand champion doe, and Kamryn Graham had the reserve champion doe with a junior doe.
Lyla Early showed the grand champion wether goat with Claire Bellah claiming reserve champion honors.
Cole Read was awarded the senior showmanship prize with Graham taking junior showmanship.
In the sheep classes, Grace Fry took the grand champion ewe banner with her medium wool entry. Mae Musselman had the reserve champion ewe with her Dorper.
Willa Early claimed a grand champion banner with a Dorper wether. Ethan Green had the reserve wether, also a Dorper.
Green received the sheep senior showmanship award, with Early named top showman in the junior age group.
In the rabbit competition, Braylyn Abbate had the grand champion doe and buck, while Mimi Ivy showed the reserve champion doe and buck. All four animals were senior entries.
Brooke Kayga showed the grand champion market rabbit, while Maci Hatchett had the reserve champion.
Hatchett also won senior rabbit showmanship honors with Mia Smith claiming the junior showmanship award.
In the poultry division, Moran’s Ellis Hise had both the grand champion and reserve champions. Hise also won senior showmanship, with Rob Williams earning junior showmanship.
Commercial Steers
The commercial steer class made its debut in the county show with five exhibitors entering pens of two.
“I think it’s a good addition,” Askew said. “As it continues on, there may be more people get into it.”
The class was judged Friday, Jan. 20 at the railroad pens on Cook Field Road following the conclusion of swine, goat, and sheep judging at the show barn.
“Our judge (Porter) really liked our new endeavor,” Askew said. “He said he wished Jones County could get that event going.”
Askew said the competition went remarkably well for a first-time effort.
“We probably did more right than we realized,” he said. “We were concerned about mistakes, but we didn’t seem to make any. I think everybody was well-pleased with how it all happened.”
Auctions & Donations
Askew said it will take time for Association secretary Molly Cauble to compile final numbers, but this year’s sale appeared to bring in a substantial sum.
“The money seemed to be good,” he said. “We don’t have that all together yet because there are a lot of add-ons. It takes at least two weeks to get all that finalized.”
The situation is normal for the show, but there will eventually be a deadline for add-on bids.
Raffle Winners
Tommie Brown won the processed hog provided by Dusty and Jodee Grun of Coleman County Processing in one of two fundraising raffles.
Chris Bell won a certificate for a shotgun.
Exhibitors sold raffle tickets in the weeks leading up to the show to help offset expenses. Cauble said an exact total of money raised has yet to be determined.
Volunteers Thanked
Askew made special mention of all the volunteer work that helped make the show a success.
“I want to thank all the volunteers and people who helped put it on,” he said. “There’s a group of Association officers and members, but we had more than that helping us.”
Askew also expressed his gratitude to the Albany Volunteer Fire Department for wetting the grounds to control dust.
“They had to come wet things down for us a couple of times,” he said.
One group that plays a particularly important role, Askew said, is concession stand workers. The crew served up 280 pounds of potatoes for curly fries, in addition to a huge amount of other foods.
“They had a great year,” Askew said. “And they sold out of everything. At 3:00 o’clock Saturday evening, there was nothing left but a Coca-Cola.”
