Fayette County Junior Fair exhibitors have participated in various cow shows since Tuesday, with the grand champion and showman of each breed being named.
The cow shows began at 3 p.m. at the sales arena, as award winning judge Leroy Billman presided, with the Beef Feeder Show. Ten classes continued and several showmanship classes were held to determine the Grand Champion Beef Feeder and the Beef Feeder Overall Showman. After the classes were held, Sydney Miller’s cow was named the Grand Champion Beef Feeder.
“It is a really good feeling to have been selected for the grand champion of beef feeders because this is my last year in 4-H,” Miller, the 2015 Beef Queen said. “To all of the younger 4-Hers, remember to enjoy every minute of your time at the fair, because it goes by really fast. Before you know it, it will be all over.”
Lindsey Worley’s cow was named the Reserve Champion Beef Feeder.
The exhibitors, to be eligible for the sale on Friday, must also take part in a showmanship class for their age group. Four classes were held to determine the overall showman. The winner of the senior class was Morgan Miller, intermediate class winner was Cassie Baird, beginner class winner was Aiden Knecht and the novice class winner was Abbygail Pitstick. After the Overall Beef Feeder Showmanship class, Pitstick was named the overall showman.
“It feels very accomplishing to have been named the overall showman,” Pitstick said. “I do not feel like I will be able to win on Saturday (at the Showman of Showmen competition), but I am going to practice with the other animals to get ready for the show and I am ready to try. Just remember 4-Hers, hard work pays off.”
The next show, the Beef Steer show, began at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday evening. A smaller amount of exhibitors show this breed, and only six classes and a few showmanship classes were held. Billman also presided over the Beef Steer show, judging the cow exhibitors for nearly six straight hours. Finally, after all of the hours spent, Quinton Waits’ steer was named the Grand Champion Beef Steer.
“It feels real good to see how far he has made it, from a calf to the steer he is now,” Waits said. “It was a really good day and we had plenty of time to get him ready and up here. Everybody has done great and now I am excited, but also sad, for the sale on Friday because I am going to be losing my favorite cow. To the younger 4-Hers, never give up, and try, try, and try again. Even if you think it is too hard, don’t worry about it, just keep doing it.”
Tyler Cummings’ steer was named the Reserve Champion Beef Steer.
A special class they held during the Beef Steer Show is the Born, Bred and Raised in Fayette County Class. This class is only open to steer that have been bred, born and raised within the county and only about a dozen exhibitors took part in the class. After seeing the selections, judge Billman chose Audrey Craig as the winner, and complimented all of the steer.
Three classes were held for the Beef Steer Showmanship. The winner of the senior class was Sydney Miller, intermediate class winner was Victoria Waits and beginner class winner was Audrey Craig. After the Overall Beef Steer Showmanship Class, Miller was named the overall showman.
“It feels awesome and I hope to represent my breed well at the competition on Saturday,” Miller said. “Practice makes perfect and it will pay off in the end.”
The shows continued Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. in the sales arena with the Dairy Feeder and Showmanship shows and the Market Dairy Beef and Showmanship shows.
Judge Matt Griffith, from Hillsboro, presided over the shows. Griffith has presided over several county fairs in the past four years.
Victoria Schappacher, 2015 Dairy Princess, was named Grand Champion Showman in the Feeder category. Anita Pursell was named Reserve Champion.
“I’m really excited,” Schappacher said. “When my stick broke in the class and I won, I was shocked, but I’m really just over-excited about this. We’re having a great time at the fair this year and I’m hoping we can carry through for the rest of the day.”
Ginna Climer, 2015 Small Animal Queen, was named Grand Champion Steer Showman, followed by Jacob Sears as Reserve Champion.
“I’m feeling pretty good about all of this,” Climer said. “I want to thank my family, my grandpa, and my boyfriend for helping me get this far and for supporting me while I run around being Small Animal Queen and get ready to show. But I’m pretty excited, this is a good day.”
There were six classes in the Dairy Feeder show, after which, Pursell was named Grand Champion. Caleb Streitenberg was named Reserve Champion with Kaitlyn Taylor coming in third, Riley Davis being named fourth, and Climer coming in fifth.
Pursell has been showing with the Fayette Firearms 4-H Club for the past three years. “Showing is just so fun because I love working with animals,” Pursell said. “I’m really excited because this is my second time winning. I won my very first year and now I won again, so I’m very excited and happy, and proud.
This is Streitenberg’s first year showing and he’s happy to get involved and be around the animals.
The Market Beef Show consisted of five groups and afterward, Griffith named Dylan Arnold as Grand Champion, Jacob Sears as Reserve Champion, Jacob Sears’ other Market Beef entry came in third, Schappacher came in fourth, and Climer came in fifth.
Sears has been showing for five years. “I really appreciate this honor,” Sears said. “I put a lot of work into this, and I’m just really appreciative. Thank you to everyone and the judge.”
Arnold, a member of the Funny Farmers 4-H, has been showing for five years.
“I just have so much fun with this,” Arnold said. “I’m very happy about winning, but this is more about having fun and it’s not competition. Most of all, I thank my grandpa.”
