Stock show totals expected to be above average
By Sandy Morris
The 2021 Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association county livestock show and sale was held at the county show barn last weekend, Jan. 22-23, and according to association president Bronco Askew, the show overall went very well.
“We had a great show,” said Askew. “We don’t have complete totals yet, but I feel this year was better than average.”
Askew felt that the show organizers also did a good job of addressing any COVID concerns.
“We tried to follow social distancing as much as we could, but it is kind of hard at a stock show,” said Askew. “We did try to make sure we had opportunities to disinfect and keep things clean.”
A total of 240 projects were entered by 132 exhibitors with 125 of those taking their animal through the sale.
The total number of projects was down slightly from 256 entries in 2020 and 275 in 2019, while the number of exhibitors was up from 124 last year and almost even with 137 youth in 2019.
Judging
All judging this year was done by Zachary Wilcox, Nolan County Extension Agent.
“We were really lucky to have Zach judge for us this year,” said Askew. “He is well-rounded and is able to judge all animals from calves to rabbits to chickens. He also is really good with the kids.”
Champion Animals
Kenzie Neve exhibited the grand champion steer, and Johnnie Hise showed the reserve champion steer this year.
Wilcox chose Neve’s 1,150 pound class 1 winner for the top honor, and then awarded the reserve banner to Hise’s 1,310 pound blue ribbon steer from class 2.
Gracie Price exhibited the winner of the senior heifers to claim grand champion heifer, and she earned the senior beef showmanship award again this year.
Myleigh Leveridge claimed reserve champion heifer with the second place animal from the senior heifers class.
Junior beef showmanship was awarded to Hattie Jo Braly.
Tatum Grady took home overall grand champion swine honors with her first place 218-pound pig from the heavy weight dark barrow class.
Hannah Snyder’s 203-pound project from the medium weight dark cross class took reserve champion barrow honors.
Chelsy Parsons took the grand champion banner with her 239-pound heavy weight cross gilt, and a few minutes later, her 220-pound gilt was picked as reserve champion.
Senior swine showmanship was won by Albany High senior Carli Edgar, and Colter Edgar won the junior swine showmanship belt buckle.
Willa Early was awarded overall champion market goat, and Trevor Bellah’s entry won reserve champion.
Leddie Leech won champion doe goat, and Laithe Leech’s entry won reserve champion.
Leddie Leech took home senior goat showmanship honors, and Trevor Bellah was awarded the junior goat showmanship buckle.
In the sheep judging, Pepper Martin exhibited both the champion and reserve champion market lambs, as well as the grand champion breeding ewe. She was also picked by the judge for senior showmanship.
Willa Early showed the reserve champion ewe and won the junior lamb showmanship buckle.
Brooke Kayga and Morgan Garcia dominated the senior rabbit division. Kayga’s entries were named as overall grand champions in the market rabbit, buck, and doe categories, while Garcia had the reserve champion rabbits in all three divisions.
Garcia took home the senior rabbit showmanship buckle, and junior rabbit showmanship was awarded to Mimi Ivy.
Wilcox judged the poultry division handing out the grand champion banner to Johnnie Hise. Emmie Hise had the reserve champion poultry entry.
Senior poultry showmanship was won by Blanton Belcher, and James Hise won junior poultry showmanship honors.
Pee Wee showmanship was conducted after the poultry judging and had a good turnout, according to Askew.
“We let the little kids come in with an animal and practice showing in front of the judge,” said Askew. “Each participant receives a ribbon and a gold coin. We’ve been doing this for a while now and it’s a very popular part of the show.”
Shackelford County Extension Agent Kloey Painter was also very pleased with the work put in by the local 4-H members.
“I am so proud of all the hard work, dedication, and responsibility that all of the 4-H members put into their projects,” said Painter. “Everybody showed their hearts out and at the end of the day, that’s all you can ask for.
Class by class results from the 2020 stock show are listed in the special section included with this issue.
Auction and
Donations
By Saturday, Jan. 23, at the end of the auction, the bidders pool collections and pledges, which includes the money donated prior to the sale, added up to $30,000, said Molly Cauble, SCYLA treasurer.
The final amount donated for the animals sold in the auction will not be known for a couple of weeks, as some numbers still need to be tallied, and typically a few late additions to the sale pledges come in after the show.
After the basic expenses are covered, the additional funds are allocated to the bidders pool, and are divided among the projects entered in the sale, using a formula based on weight.
Each exhibitor is allowed to take only one animal or project through the auction ring, where a combination of base price, bidder pool premium, and live add-on bids result in the total sale price that will be presented to the youth at the Buyer-Seller Banquet.
Askew said the committee has already met and set a date for the banquet.
“Right now, we have the banquet set for 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 10 at Nancy Smith Elementary School,” said Askew. “That is our plan for now unless something should come up to change it.”
Raffle Results
Participants in the show sold raffle tickets prior to the show to bring in additional funds.
The Savage Stevens 12 gauge Model 320 pump action shotgun was won by Matt Birkla.
The processed hog donated by Jerry Lancaster with Deep Creek Trading Post in Moran was won by Jimmy Knight.
Donors Appreciated
“I am thankful for all the buyers and donors who reward the kids for their hard work and their dedication to their animals,” said Albany ag teacher and FFA sponsor Chris Beard. “I can’t thank the people enough for coming out and supporting the kids. Shackelford County always does a great job helping their kids to be successful.”
Volunteers Thanked
Askew was also grateful to the many contributors.
“I especially want to thank all the volunteers, including the SCYLA officers and directors, for the wonderful job they do,” the president said. “We were actually able to have everything set up and ready to go, so we were able to stop and catch our breath.”
Askew said there are so many volunteers who make this show a success year after year, and that some of the volunteers don’t even have kids showing anymore.
“We’ve got volunteers who haven’t had a kid show in maybe 10 years,” said Askew. “They still keep volunteering because they have a spot in their heart for the kids.”
Askew also said there really isn’t a ‘boss’ of the organization because they all have multiple jobs and work well as a group.
This year the organization also saw some new volunteers step up and jump right in and help with the show.
“There are so many people who deserve thanks for the jobs they do for the show,” said Askew. “Mike Parsons runs the sale for us, Molly does a great job of getting most of the sale catalog put together the night before, and then adding the results as soon as classes are judged. Both the city and volunteer fire departments usually help keep the dust down every year, although that wasn’t a problem.”
Askew also praised the popular concession stand.
“I can’t say enough about Debra Boyett and our secretary Tisha Wilkins,” said Askew. “I can’t imagine what we would do without them in the concession stand.”
Photos
All photos taken of the exhibitors with their animals will be available for pickup in the county agent’s office in the Courthouse by the end of February.
