The Clarke County 4-H Program hosted part of the Magnolia Junior Sheep and Goat Circuit on September 25. There were 74 youth from around the state who attended the event to show a total of 158 animals, and East Pleasant Grove Baptist Church’s youth group provided the concession stand for the event as a fund raiser.
The students who did attend the show enjoyed dressing up to a theme to show their animals.
“The theme of this show was ‘Back to School,’ and they had a pep rally for their favorite team before the show,” stated Clarke County Extension Agent Christy King. “Of course, there were lots of MSU fans.”
While the previous two shows since the circuit began in July were only single shows, Clarke County is one of only two locations scheduled for a 2-in-1 show.
“This show was a 2-in-1 show, meaning we ran two shows in one day. We had two show rings with two different judges going at the same time. Lambs showed in one ring while goats showed in the other ring,” explained Christy. “After the first show was over, the judges switched rings, and every exhibitor was able to show their animals a second time for the other judge, hence two shows in one day.”
It was an honor for Clarke County to be selected as a location for the circuit. Christy King credits the honor to both the great facility Clarke County has and the amazing citizens who are so gracious in the county.
“This is the second year the circuit has been in existence and the second year that the circuit has selected Clarke County as a host site for a 2-in-1 show. We are very excited to have a facility that can accommodate shows of this caliber. It’s a great thing that circuits of this magnitude want to come here and show in our barn. I think it speaks a lot for not only the quality of the facility, but for the level of hospitality that we show in our county and how hard we work to make sure everything is set up, looks nice, and runs smoothly,” declared Christy. “Over the past five years, we have made a lot of upgrades to the barn with new pens (and more of them), a renovated interior that is air conditioned, and updated electrical that can carry the loads needed for livestock shows. There have been a lot of updates that make it a nice facility to host a show. Those updates haven’t gone unnoticed, and that’s what’s helped us be able to secure things like this show and the National Showmanship Clinic we were able to host in July. The circuit chooses four sites throughout the entire state. We are one of those four sites. That’s a pretty special thing. ”
Participants in the circuit are awarded. As they go through the circuit, they amass points that can get them some great prizes at the end.
“Exhibitors earn points on how their animals place at each show, and points accumulate. There is a banquet at the end of the circuit series where exhibitors and animals with the most points are awarded big prizes for how they finish in the circuit,” informed Christy. “Each year, the ‘end of circuit’ prizes are kept a surprise. Last year, the awards were show supplies like fitting tables, show boxes, clippers, and blowers—big ticket items that the kids can use in helping get their animals ready for the shows. Everyone is excited to see what the prizes will be this year.”
The prizes at the end of the circuit aren’t the only things that the exhibitors get, however. There are cash prizes that they can receive the day of the competition. They also learn valuable life skills that they can carry with them long after they finish 4-H.
“In addition to the end of the year banquet, youth earn premium money at the show for how they place in their individual classes with their animals. As the exhibitors are placed, instead of being given a ribbon, they are given an envelope with cash money. It is not uncommon for a youngster to leave the show with $200 to $300 in cash money that they have earned from showing that weekend. Many times, sponsors will give ‘added money’ to the champion animals, so some youth may leave with $400 or $500 from the weekend’s winnings. Now, consider what this circuit can do for the youth. Aside from giving them something real to do with their time and getting them out from in front of a television, it gives them the opportunity to earn real money for their efforts. The circuit is four weekends, and they have the opportunity to earn $200 to $300 a weekend; by the end of the circuit, a young person could earn between $800 and $1,200 they could use to put in their savings account for college, put towards their first vehicle, or reinvest in their animal agriculture project. Aside from helping these youth learn just about animals, this opportunity is teaching kids responsibility, respect, citizenship, and financial management—all the skills we are looking for in good citizens and future employees and community leaders. The fact that we can have a show like this and be part of building kids like this right here in Quitman is an awesome thing. We have an awesome opportunity, and we are proud to be a part of that.”
The show didn’t only help students grow, learn, and win money. It was also very beneficial for the city. Hosting major shows such as the sheep and goat circuit brings economic growth to the city.
“The economic impact these events bring to our town is huge,” expressed Christy. “These families come in the night before. They eat at restaurants, and since we are having these events year after year now, they have favorite restaurants they come looking for. They buy fuel here. They buy snacks and drinks at our local grocery stores. They stay at our campgrounds, cabins, and bed and breakfast. They bring tourism and tax dollars to our community. These livestock events are a huge boost to the community.”
Overall, the show was a success. The 4-H program looks forward to being able to host more shows in the future to make a positive impact on the upcoming generation.
