Junior Livestock Show held Wednesday, today
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on April 4, 2013 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
Courtney Grace, 15, displays her goat, Peter, as her fellow competitors do the same with their entries in the Senior Showmanship Division of the Junior Livestock Show and Sale at the Wayne County Fairgrounds on Wednesday night.
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News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
Amanda Wheaton with her goat, Sherlock, took first place in the Senior Showmanship Division.
Isaac Young was too focused on handling his goat to smile. Even when the judge at the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale joked with the 8-year-old while asking him questions, Isaac maintained a serious demeanor as he led his entry around the show ring.
But he was grinning ear-to-ear when the judge announced that he had won first place in the Novice category of the showmanship contest with his goat, Ruby.
The Northwest Elementary student said afterward that he was concentrating on setting his goat up for show, keeping its head up and legs square while keeping his eye on the judge.
Where was the fun? "In working with the animal and letting it get used to you," he said, clutching his blue ribbon.
Young was one of more than 80 youths competing in the 65th annual version of the show, which continues today at the Wayne County Fairgrounds with the hog competition.
Wednesday night was the meat goat and calf shows.
Keiley Severson took second place in the Novice class with her goat, Teddy Bear.
"Hold his head up and keep his feet straight," she said, describing her formula for success.
Taylor Glover, a student at Norwayne Middle School, was the winner in the Junior showmanship class with her goat, Cody.
"I kept my eye on the judge and my goat did a really good job with me," she said. Her cousin Matthew Lutze took second place.
"I kept her head up and whenever she moved her foot I'd put it back," he said, describing how he handled his entry.
In the Senior Division, Amanda Wheaton and her goat, Sherlock, took top honors despite the fact that Sherlock was the smallest goat in the class.
"I'd spent a lot of time with him, and he cooperated with me," the Wayne Early Middle College High student said after collecting her blue ribbon. "He was real skittish when we got here but he calmed down real quick."
Mary Dunn of Grantham came in second.
How did she do it?
"I felt like it was the way I presented the goat, keeping his head up," she said.
Rebecca Grady of Seven Springs, a student at Arendell Parrott Academy, thought she was going to finish last in the Senior class. Her goat gave her trouble from the start, forcing her to drag him around the ring for much of the show. But her poise earned her fifth place.
"I just think he didn't feel like doing what I wanted him to," she said in explanation.
The show was to continue at 9 a.m. today with the hog show and this evening at 5:30 with a costume contest, City Slicker contest and sale.
Here is a list of Wednesday night's winners:
Meat Goat Showmanship
Novice Class
1st, Isaac Hines-Young; 2nd, Keiley Severson; 3rd, Chancie Fuller; 4th, Rudy Barden Sasser; 5th, Maddy Sutton.
Junior Class
1st, Taylor Glover; 2nd, Matthew Lutze; 3rd, Jordan Lindsay; 4th, Kali Kasulis; 5th, Caleb Heath.
Senior Class
1st, Amanda Wheaton; 2nd, Mary Dunn; 3rd, Alec Linton; 4th, Alan Johnson; 5th, Rebecca Grady.
Meat Goat
Class 1 (50-59 pounds)
1st, Amanda Wheaton; 2nd, Isaac Hines-Young; 3rd, Daniel Dunn; 4th, Alan Johnson; 5th Abigail Johnson.
Class 2 (60-69 pounds)
1st, Payton Lynn Williams; 2nd, Keiley Severson; 3rd, Mary Dunn; 4th, Rudy Barden Sasser; 5th, Matthew Lutze.
Class 3 (70-79 pounds)
1st, Lauren Merritt; 2nd, Kayla Thornton, 3rd, John Avery Sasser; 4th Gideon Linton; 5th, Joseph Kyle Waters.
Class 4 (81-94 pounds)
1st, Kali Kasulis; 2nd, Jordan Lindsay; 3rd, Taylor Glover; 4th, Logan Merritt; 5th, Chancie Fuller.
Grand Champion
Kali Kasulis
Reserve Champion
Jordan Lindsay
Feeder Calf Division
Junior Showmanship
1st, Jensen Barwick; 2nd, Caleb Heath; 3rd, Taylor Glover.
Senior Showmanship
1st, Alan Johnson; 2nd, Rebecca Grady.
Grand Champion
Jensen Barwick
Reserve Champion
Caleb Heath