Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Decatur County 4-H members recently exhibited lambs, cattle, and swine at the Georgia National Fair in Perry on October 7-16, 2021.

Maggie Miller, a 4th grade student at Grace Christian Academy, exhibited steers at the Georgia National Fair Market Beef Show October 7-9 and the Georgia National Fair Invitational Steer Show October 15-16. During the Invitational Show, Maggie was named champion 4th grade showman. Maggie also exhibited the Reserve Champion Crossbred Steer and was named the 4th Overall Steer for the 2021 Georgia National Fair Invitational Steer Show. Ms. Jessie Judge from Oklahoma served as the judge for the Invitational Beef Show and evaluated the cattle in classes and the exhibitors in showmanship. Mr. John Rayfield from Texas served as the judge for the steers and market heifers during the Georgia National Fair Market Beef Show.

Exhibiting lambs, October 8-10, from Decatur County were: Hunter Jones, Callie Jones, Heidi Griffin, Charlie Griffin, Kirksey Bell Hayes, Scott Ross Hayes, and Rachel Hayes. Hunter Jones, 2nd grade student at Jones Wheat Primary, placed 8th in 2nd grade market lamb showmanship and placed in the top 10 for market lamb class, breeding ewe class, and First Year Exhibitor class.. 8th grade Bainbridge Middle School 4-H’er, Callie Jones, also placed in the top 10 in breeding ewe class and First Year Exhibitor Show class. Heidi Griffin, 1st grade student, at Jones Wheat Primary, placed 4th in 1st grade market lamb showmanship and placed 6th in market lamb class. She placed in the top 10 for 1st and 2nd grade breeding ewe showmanship, breeding ewe class, and First Year Exhibitor Class. 2nd grade 4-H’er at Jones Wheat Primary, Charlie Griffin was named Champion Showman for 1st and 2nd grade breeding ewe showmanship and was named 4th Overall Lamb in the First Year Exhibitor Show. Additionally, Charlie placed in the top 10 for breeding ewe classes, market lamb classes, and placed 7th in 2nd grade showmanship for the market lamb show.

Rachel Hayes, Bainbridge High School 11th grader, placed 1st with two market lamb entries and 4th in 11th grade market lamb showmanship. Kirksey Bell Hayes, Jones Wheat Primary 2nd grade student, was named Champion 2nd grade market lamb showmanship and Division 1 Reserve Champion. Scott Ross Hayes, Grace Christian Academy 5th grade 4-H’er, was named Champion 5th grade Market Lamb Showman and Champion Showman for 5th and 6th grade Breeding Ewe Showmanship. Additionally, Scott Ross exhibited several 1st place class wins and was named Division 2 Reserve Champion and Division 5 Grand Champion. Scott Ross was also named 5th Overall Market Lamb for the 2021 Georgia National Fair Market Lamb Show.

Mr. Corey Taylor from Texas served as the judge for the market lamb show and evaluated the sheep in classes and the exhibitors in showmanship. Mrs. Sierra Nauman from Texas served as the judge for the breeding ewe show and the First Year Exhibitor Show and evaluated the sheep in classes and the exhibitors in showmanship.

Exhibitors participating in the Georgia National Fair breeding gilt and market hog shows on October 14-16 were: Brannon Parker, Jake Barber, Preston Lynn, and Maci Lynn. Jake Barber, Bainbridge Middle School 4-H’er, placed 2nd in 7th grade swine showmanship. Jake also placed in the top 5 in market hog and breeding gilt classes. Grace Christian Academy 4-H’er, Preston Lynn, placed in the top 10 in market hog classes. Maci Lynn, a 2nd grade student at Grace Christian Academy, placed 5th with her purebred Yorkshire Gilt and 6th place in 1st and 2nd grade swine showmanship. Brannon Parker, Bainbridge High School student, placed in the top 10 for 11th grade swine showmanship and placed in the top 10 in the market hog class.

Mrs. Breanna Thompson from Indiana and Mr. Brett Byers from Illinois served as the judges for the 2021 Georgia National Fair Swine Shows. Judges evaluated the swine in the breeding gilt and market hog classes and the exhibitors in showmanship.

During the 2021 Georgia National Fair the annual Livestock Legislative Showdown was held with Georgia legislatures and youth livestock exhibitors. Eight market lamb exhibitors were selected to pair with four Georgia House of Representative Members and four Georgia Senators for a legislative livestock competition. The youth worked with their paired legislator to teach the legislator the mechanics of exhibiting sheep. Following the three hour instruction, the House members and Senate members competed in a showmanship competition (House vs Senate) where judge Corey Taylor and the eight exhibitors selected a 2021 Legislative Showdown Champion. The Senate members were named the 2021 Legislative Showdown Champion. Decatur County 4-H’er, Rachel Hayes, was selected as a youth livestock exhibitor and was paired with Georgia House of Representative Speaker Pro Tempore, Mrs. Jan Jones. Representative Jones serves House District 47 in North Fulton, covering Milton, Mountain Park, and portions of Alpharetta and Roswell.

These 4-H livestock exhibitors represent their schools and community as part of the Decatur County Show Team as they participate in livestock shows all over the south. As a result of their involvement, youth gain character traits including responsibility, caring and fairness among others, and certainly the reward of hard-work and dedication. In addition, they practice numerous life skills including teamwork, self-motivation, building self-esteem, critical thinking, decision making, goal setting, cooperation, and communication.