Hopkins County Regional Civic Center was abuzz with activity Thursday afternoon and Friday morning as 257 FFA and 4-H exhibitors prepared and presented their 300 projects for the Junior Market Livestock Show. The Junior Market Livestock Show is a Hopkins County annual event that features youth and their projects in both showmanship and project categories. Those who qualify for the Sale of Campions will reap the reward of their labor Saturday afternoon.
Thursday afternoon the Lamb Showmanship and Lamb Show followed by the Goat Showmanship and Show featured 43 lambs shown by 36 exhibitors and 47 goats shown by 44 youth. Tanner Swinson of Hopkins County 4-H was named Senior Showmanship and his lamb was named Grand Champion in Show. The animal placed first in the Lamb Class 4 Division. Reserve Champion the lamb shown by Annie Horton of Sulphur Springs FFA. She also was named Intermediate Showman. Reese Ragan received the Junior Showmanship honor.
Those who placed first in their Lamb Show Division include: Class 1: Horton; Class 2: Bryce McQueen, Sulphur Springs FFA; Class 3: Dayton Wood, Cumby FFA; Class 4: Swinson; Class 5: Caleb Lewis, Sulphur Springs FFA. Twenty-three qualified for the Sale of Champions.
For goats, Parris Pickett, Sulphur Springs FFA showed the Grand Champion and Maci Merrell, SSFFA, the Reserve Grand. Dayton Wood, Cumby FFA received the Senior Showmanship Award with his first place Class 6 goat. Savannah Allen, Sulphur Springs FFA received the Intermediate Showmanship Award and Kate Monk, Hopkins County 4-H, the Junior Showmanship Award. Monk’s goat place first and Allen’s second in the Class 1 Goat Division.
Those placing first in their Goat Show division were: Class 1: Monk; Class 2: Mason Burgin, Sulphur Springs FFA; Class 3: Parris Pickett, Sulphur Springs FFA; Class 4: Merrell; Class 5: Pickett; and Class 6: Wood. Twenty-four animals qualified for the Sale of Champions.
Poultry Grand Champion Pen was shown by Braxton Northcutt, Miller Grove FFA and Reserve Grand Champion Pen was shown by Parker Dyer of Miller Grove FFA. Mollie Gibbins, Sulphur Springs FFA, was Senior Showmanship winner. Intermediate Showmanship went to Hayley Dyer, North Hopkins FFA. Junior Showmanship honors went to Haylee Schultz, Sulphur Springs FFA. There were 68 pens of chickens shown by 68 exhibitors. Thirty-one pens qualified for the Sale of Champions.
The Heifer Show begins at 3 p.m. and the Steer Show at 6 p.m. Friday night.
Sale of Champions is Saturday at 1 p.m. following a stew lunch for exhibitors and buyers. According to Kevin Gibson, President of the Junior Market Livestock Show, $1500 scholarships will be awarded this year to four graduating seniors in a Hopkins County School who have participated in the Junior Market Livestock Show for at least two years and meet all requirements of the application.
