During the Rowan County Fair, youth and adults enter and show a variety of livestock. Monday evening was the Beef Cattle Show.
The judge for the evening was Greg Anderson. Anderson, who is an N.C. State University graduate, is from McDowell County, where he is the agriculture and natural resources agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension. He owns and operates a cow/calf operation and raises Gelbvieh, Red Angus, Simmental and Short Horn cattle.
The Beef Show started off with youth showmanship. During a showmanship competition, the exhibitor is judged on how well they handle their animal and their knowledge about the animal. There were four classes of showmanship — pee-wee, youth ages 5-8; junior, youth ages 9-12; intermediate, youth ages 13-15; and senior, youth ages 16-19.
Top showmen in each category were Sedona Sifford and Cayte Mitchell in the pee-wee class, Madison Sifford and Chloe Lawson in the junior class, Abigail Hoke and Hunter Weddington in the intermediate class, and Adreanna White and Lexie Chandler in the senior class.
The top two showmen in the junior, intermediate and senior classes were brought back into the ring to compete for Supreme Champion Showman and Reserve Supreme Champion Showman. Earning these titles were Madison Sifford and Chloe Lawson, respectively.
Following showmanship, the breed shows began. First was the Angus show. There were six entries in this show, and they showed by age. The Grand Champion Female was the late senior yearling heifer exhibited by Roseview Cattle Farm/Harward Sisters Livestock. Reserve Champion Female was the early junior yearling heifer exhibited by Roseview Cattle Farm/Harward Sisters Livestock.
Next was the Charolais show. The Grand Champion Female was the late junior yearling heifer exhibited by Creekside Farm. The Reserve Champion Female was the senior heifer calf exhibited by Bandy High School FFA.
The Grand Champion Female in the commercial show was the winter heifer exhibited by Shannon Kindley. Circle D Farm and their senior heifer calf earned Reserve Champion Female.
In the Gelbvieh show, the senior heifer calf received Grand Champion Female, while the mature cow/calf pair earned Reserve Champion Female. Both were exhibited by Justin Ridenhour.
In the Hereford show, Roseview Cattle Farm exhibited the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Female. The spring heifer calf earned Grand Champion and the early junior yearling received Reserve Champion. The Hereford Show was followed by the Red Angus Show. Muddy Creek Farm’s early junior yearling earned Grand Champion Female, while their mature cow/calf pair received Reserve Champion.
Roseview Cattle Farm exhibited the Grand and Reserve Champion Female with their senior heifer calf and the spring heifer calf, respectively, during the Shorthorn show. In the Simmental show, the senior heifer calf exhibited by Shannon Kindley won Grand Champion Female, while the late senior yearling, shown by Creekside Farm, earned Reserve Champion Female.
After the completion of the Simmental Show, all breed Grand Champion Females were brought back in the ring for the Best in Show, or Supreme Champion Female. Earning this title was the commercial winter heifer exhibited by Shannon Kindley.
There are additional shows that will be held in the Livestock Show Arena at the Rowan County Fairgrounds this week. The Ewe Show will begin at 6 tonight, which will be immediately followed by the Meat Goat Show. On Thursday, youth will exhibit their Market Lambs, which will be followed by the Market Lamb Sale. Friday, you do not want to miss the Dairy Cattle Dress Up at 7 p.m. The final show of the week will be the Dairy Cattle Show on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Sara Drake is the Extension Agent in 4-H Youth Development. 704-216-8970.