Enthusiasm and excitement filled the air as the 59th Annual Rockwall Youth Fair got underway with more than 200 entries. The activity, held at the Rockwall ISD Ag Complex on Riding Club Road, took place from Wednesday, March 21 through March 24, 2012.
The Youth Fair was held as an achievement event for all youth involved in agriculture livestock projects, Ag. Mechanics projects, as well as clothing and textiles.
Youth from across the county exhibited skills and knowledge including skills of goal setting, project preparation and exhibition. Youth participating in the Shop Divisions demonstrated skills welding as well as creative design techniques. Clothing and textile participants demonstrated skills in sewing as well as color and texture combinations, and composition.
Other youth in the animal divisions demonstrated skills of teamwork, character, and critical thinking. Most importantly, the young people showed skills of good sportsmanship. Families shared valuable quality time together and friendships were made and nurtured.
Following the Livestock Show on Saturday, the Market Sale was held and market animals were sold to the highest bidder. Funds received from the sales assist the young people in further development of their agriculture interests or are often put aside to help pay for college. Buyers participating in this year’s event include:
Grand Champion Market Steer – Circle M Farms
Grand Champion Market Hog – Eldorado Chemical
Grand Champion Market Lamb – The Fatted Calf
Grand Champion Market Goat – Circle M Farms
Grand Champion Pen of Market Rabbits – Farmers Electric Cooperative
Grand Champion Pen of Broilers – Dwight Lindop
Reserve Champion Market Steer – Endevour General Agency
Reserve Champion Market Hog – Farmers Electric Cooperative
Reserve Champion Pen of Market Rabbits – Birdsong Electric
Reserve Champion Pen of Broilers – Dwight Lindop
Additional buyers included:
Jeff Adams, Robert and Stephanie Adams, Alliance Bank, American National Bank, Blackland Railroad, Blasé Family Farms, Brookshires, Community Bank, Don Gage, Skip Goodwin Cattle Company, Heath Lawn & Tree Care, Heritage Land Bank, JJJ Ranch, Lakeside Chevrolet, Lakeside National Bank, Ralph Parman, James Patrick, Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall, Restaurant AVA, Rockwall County Farm Bureau, Rockwall Veterinary Hospital, Service Electric, Bob and Mary Sue Smith, and Southwest Ford of Greenville.
The Rockwall Youth Fair Board and exhibitors appreciate all of the buyers for their support as many purchased more than one lot. Also recognition is given to the many individuals who made up the “Buyers Poole” contributing to many of the lots.
Special contributors to the success of the 2012 Rockwall Youth Fair include Corky Randolph and Alliance Bank for the donation of belt buckles provided for the Champion and Reserve Champion Market Animal exhibitors, as well as belt buckles for the Showmanship winners.
Also, recognition is given to The Fatted Calf for donating the High Point Buckle for Thursday night’s Junior Livestock Judging Contest.
Appreciation also goes to Chick-Fil-A for providing hot chicken breakfast sandwiches for the exhibitors and volunteers, as well as Heritage Land Bank for providing pizza and sodas for the workers at the Agriculture Awareness Day on Friday.
The show was sponsored by the Rockwall Youth Fair Board. Members include Ron Evans – President; Robert Adams – Vice President; Michelle Morris – Secretary; and Cindy Knochel – Treasurer.
Other board members include Mike Donegan, Kevin Fowler, Paul Montgomery, Jackie Pullen, Travis Reynolds, Randy Schieberle, Oliver Spiller, Stanley Springer and Honorary Director, Odis Lowe.
Advisors to the board are Rockwall Agricultural Science Instructors, Casey Jones and Bobby Fowler and Rockwall County Extension Agent, Todd K. Williams.
The Youth Fair Board presented a special award to Don Gage for his continued support of the Rockwall Youth Fair.
Reported awards for the achievement event are as follows:
Ag. Mechanics Show
Judges – David Burton – Ag Science Instructor, Boles High School; Kevin Dillard – Ag Science, Savoy High School
Grand Champion – Tucker Doughty; Reserve Champion – Callie Merritt; Showmanship – Ryan Ullom
Clothing Show
Best of Show Clothing Junior – Jordan Huff; Best of Show Clothing Intermediate – Sarah DiGirolamo; Best of Show Non-Clothing Junior – Corinne Moody; Best of Show Non-Clothing Intermediate – Victoria Reynolds
Livestock Show
Judge of Breeding Animals, and Market Broilers, Lambs & Rabbits – Loyd Nations, Van ISD Ag. Science Instructor
Judge of Market Goats, Hogs and Steers – Stu Dildine, Bullard ISD Ag. Science Instructor
Swine Show
Junior Showmanship: Allen Bornemann
Senior Showmanship: Cale Merritt
Market Swine
Light Weight:
1st Jacob Hillman
2nd Callie Merritt
3rd Cody Miller
4th Alyssa Adams
Medium Weight:
1st Cale Merritt
2nd Ben Adams
3rd Jacob Robinson
4th Sam Crowell
5th Brook Peters
6th Ryan Ullom
7th Cade Miller
Heavy Weight:
1st Mackenzie Crowell
2nd Carson Pittman
3rd Chandler Houser
4th Cameron Defebaugh
5th Luke Termin
Grand Champion: Callie Merritt
Reserve Champion: Mackenzie Crowell
Breeding Hogs
Class 1
1st Allen Bornemann
Class 2
1st Callie Merritt
Class 3
1st Cale Merritt
2nd Callie Merritt
3rd Callie Merritt
Grand Champion Cale Merritt
Reserve Champion Callie Merritt
Beef Show
Junior Showmanship: Kirsten Miller
Senior Showmanship: Will Morris
Market Steers
Light Weight
1st Elliot Dewire
Light Medium Weight
1st Kirsten Miller
2nd Zoey Ford
3rd Sydney Garber
Medium Weight
1st Blake Adams
2nd Will Morris
Heavy Weight
1st Tanner Howey
2nd Joshua Born
Grand Champion: Blake Adams
Reserve Champion: Will Morris
Breeding Beef Heifers
Junior Heifer Calves
1st Tanner Howey
Senior Heifer Calves
1st Ethan Spearman
Grand Champion: Tanner Howey
Reserve Champion: Ethan Spearman
Goat Show
Junior Showmanship: Ashlyn Stembridge
Senior Showmanship: Laura Donaldson
MARKET GOATS
Light Weight
1st Ashlyn Stembridge
2nd Gage Mitchell
Light Medium Weight
1st Anna Schieberle
2nd Ashlyn Stembridge
3rd Laura Donaldson
4th Cole Donaldson
5th Olivia Donaldson
Heavy Medium Weight
1st Carson Glasscock
2nd Trevor Rowe
3rd Kaitlyn Rothbauer
Heavy Weight
1st Ashlyn Stembridge
2nd Kylee Adams
3rd Reece Simpson
4th Bradley Simpson
Grand Champion: Ashlyn Stembridge
Reserve Champion: Ashlyn Stembridge
BREEDING GOATS
Doe Kids (0-6 months)
1st Ashlyn Stembridge
Junior Does (6-12 months)
1st Bailey Pennington
2nd Carson Pennington
Grand Champion: Ashlyn Stembridge
Reserve Champion: Bailey Pennington
Lamb Show
Grand Champion: Emily Ullom
Broiler Show
Grand Champion: Shelby Rowe
Reserve Champion: Noah Ford
3rd place: Erin Self
Rabbit Show
Market Rabbits
Junior Showmanship Sarah Harper
Senior Showmanship Samantha Cox
Grand Champion Pen: Samantha Cox
Reserve Champion Pen: Bobbie Carr
3rd Kate Pierce
4th Olivia Born
5th Kylee Adams
6th Jacquelyn Cox
7th Haley Sachse
8th Mckenzie Hale
9th Sarah Harper
10th Grace Marcantel
11th Sydney Schuyler
12th Katie Marcantel
13th Kaelyn Lawson
14th Sam Kazlow
15th Jade Washington
16th Alexa Cox
17th Sarah Kazlow
18th Emily Guthrie
Breeding Rabbits
Californian
Best of Breed – Corinne Moody
RELATED POSTS:
Rockwall High artists draw top honors at Youth Fair
Shelby Rowe celebrates Grand Champion Broilers win
Jones Elementary student earns Grand Champion awards
Cullins Lake Pointe student wins first place in medium goat division
Submitted by Shelly Spearman. Photo courtesy of Andrea Prado.
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