Junior Livestock Show planned at fairgrounds
By Turner Walston
Published in News on April 17, 2006 1:47 PM
Young livestock farmers across Wayne County have been preparing their animals for the 58th annual Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale that will be held this week at the Wayne Regional Fairgrounds.
Animals will be weighed in Wednesday from 8 to 11 a.m. The Junior Meat Goat Show will be held at 6 that evening, followed at 8 by the Junior Feeder Calf Show. The Junior Market Hog Show begins Thursday at 9 a.m., with the Livestock Judging Contest at 1 p.m. The event concludes with a dinner at 6, followed by the awards presentation at 7 and sale at 7:30.
Hannah and Cullen Grantham have been working with their animals since February to get them ready for the show and sale. Between the two of them, they plan to show four pigs, two goats and two calves.
The animals have names like Bert, Ernie, Babe, George, Pumba, Puddles and Rudy. For Hannah and Cullen, the past few weeks have been busy with preparations.
Hannah, 13, has been showing livestock since she was 8. She said their entries this year are good ones.
"I've been showing them since I was 8," said Hannah. "This year, our goats have a lot of personality, and the pigs are fun."
The Granthams got their pigs in early February. Show rules require children to keep their animals for at least 70 days. Back then, the pigs weighed about 110 pounds. With the children feeding the pigs six to eight pounds of feed each per day, the largest one now weighs 136 pounds.
For good results with goats, Cullen and Hannah have to start early.
"We started them a few weeks after they were born, when they were old enough to be weaned," Hannah said. "The first thing you have to do with them is tie them, and getting them used to being on a rope. Your goat needs to be used to being handled."
Eight-year-old Cullen said he most enjoyed training goats.
"They're more easier to work with ... sometimes," he said, while struggling a bit to set up his goat, Puddles.
Animals are required to be sold after they are shown. Hannah said it's often difficult to part with an animal she has worked with.
"Sometimes it's tough," Hannah said. "Sometimes they're like your buddy."
The experience of showing and selling animals has more than one benefit, Hannah said.
"Kids can make some money and learn about responsibility," she said. "One of the reasons that I started doing it is to save up for college and a car."
Cullen has a plan for his winnings, too. "Put it in our bank account," he said.