Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
Junior livestock exhibitors earned a total of $97,600 Oct. 19 at the annual Sale of Champions at the N.C. State Fair. That’s the highest total since 2007. The auction featured the grand and reserve grand champions from the junior steer, barrow, lamb, goat and turkey shows.
Each year, young folks from across North Carolina bring their best livestock to the fair, hoping to take home the grand prize. But to get to that point, they work a whole lot of hours at home preparing the animals for the show ring.
Rossie Blinson, an N.C. State student who has shown livestock at the fair for many years, said recently that getting livestock ready to show is a little like an athlete training for competition. The kids have to play a number of roles, such as groomer, nutritionist and exercise trainer, to raise the animal to its highest potential.
Following is a list of this year’s winners:
- Grand champion junior market steer, shown by Arnold Carpenter, 13, of Macon County. Harris Teeter placed the winning bid of $25,000.
- N.C. Born and Bred steer, shown by Katie Gibson, 13, of Macon County, and purchased by Harris Teeter for $10,000.
- Reserve grand champion junior market steer, shown by Bill Jones, 19, of Buncombe County and purchased by N.C. Farm Bureau for $10,000.
- Grand champion barrow, shown by Hunter McMillen, 7, of Currituck County. The barrow was purchased for $11,000 by N.C. Farm Bureau.
- N.C. Born and Bred barrow, shown by Ethan Thompson, 13, of Wilson County, and purchased by N.C. Farm Bureau for $5,500.
- Reserve grand champion barrow, shown by Talton Correll, 7, of Rowan County, who earned $6,000 when N.C. Farm Bureau purchased the animal.
- Grand champion junior market and N.C. Born and Bred lamb, shown by Abigail Wilson, 11, of Rowan County. N.C. Farm Bureau purchased the lamb for $7,000.
- Reserve grand champion junior market lamb, shown by Corey Goss, 14, of Washington County. The N.C. Farm Bureau purchased the animal for $5,000.
- Grand champion junior market and N.C. Born and Bred meat goat, shown by Joel Dahms, 16, of Durham County and purchased by N.C. Farm Bureau for $6,000. Wilson also showed the reserve grand champion junior market meat goat, which Iron Horse Auction purchased for $4,100.
- Grand champion turkey, shown by Victoria Pender, 17, of Wake County and purchased by N.C. Farm Bureau for $4,500.
- Reserve grand champion turkey, shown by Leah Thomas, 15, of Yadkin County and purchased by Talley Farms for $3,500.
Click on the audio player below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda talk about the Sale of Champions and the other benefits of exhibiting animals at the fair.
[Audio:http://info.ncagr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_10-22.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for Oct. 22]
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n One of the great events of the opening weekend of the State Fair is the Junior Livestock Sale of Champions.
n Exhibitors received a total of $97,600 at the sale. That’s the highest total since 2007. The auction featured the grand and reserve grand champions from the junior steer, barrow, lamb, goat and turkey shows.
n Each year, young folks from across North Carolina bring their best livestock to the fair, hoping to take home the grand prize.
n But to get to that point, they work a whole lot of hours at home preparing the animals for the show ring.
n Rossie Blinson, an N.C. State student who has shown livestock at the fair for many years, said the other day that getting livestock ready to show is a little like an athlete training for competition.
n These kids have to play a number of roles, such as groomer, nutritionist and exercise trainer, to raise the animal to its highest potential.
n This year, Arnold Carpenter of Macon County had the grand champion steer. Katie Gibson of Franklin had the North Carolina Born and Bred champion steer.
n Hunter McMillen of Currituck County had the grand champion barrow, and Ethan Thompson of Wilson had the N.C. Born and Bred champion barrow.
n Abigail Wilson of China Grove had the grand champion and N.C. Born and Bred Champion market lamb.
n Joel Dahms of Bahama (Ba-Hay-ma) had the grand champion and N.C. Born and Bred champion meat goat.
n Victoria Pender of Wake Forest had the grand champion turkey.
n I want to congratulate all these young people on their champion animals.