RICHMOND COUNTY – The Richmond County 4-H Goat Show, held this past Saturday, saw several local youth take home awards and recognitions. Among them was Ellerbe’s Coleman and Ava Berry.
Approximately 50 youth from Hoke, Guilford, Iredell, Moore, Randolph, Rockingham, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly and Stokes counties showed over 100 Boer goats at the 4-H event. The show is one of the larger county goat shows in the state, drawing a crowd close to 200 spectators from across the region.
Coleman Berry, who is a senior at Richmond County Early College, was awarded the Senior Showmanship award, while Ava Berry, also of Ellerbe, was the named the Intermediate 11-13 Showmanship winner. Randolph County’s Alby Pulaski won the Junior nine-10 Showmanship division.
Alyson Moore, show judge, poses with Ellerbe’s Ava Berry, who took the top spot in the 11-13 Intermediate Showmanship category at Richmond County 4-H’s Goat Show.
Kali Mabe, Stokes County, was awarded the Senior Showmanship second place award, while Savannah Shepard, Richmond County, was the Intermediate 11-13 Showmanship second place winner. Laura Jessup, Randolph County, was awarded the Junior 9-10 second place in the Showmanship Division.
Representing Richmond County in the Cloverbud category (ages five to eight) were Ella Shelley and Lexi Reep. Richmond County Peewee participants, which showcase participants under the age of five, were Rhett Shelley, Maddie Hoffman, and Ella Hoffman, among others.
The Showmanship classes are designed to gauge the 4-H members’ knowledge, skill with the animal, and hard work. Participants were asked questions about their animals, and how they are cared for, while presenting the animal to the best of their ability for the judge.
Mabe (Stokes County) showed the Grand Champion Doe and the Reserve Champion Doe. Does are females who will be bred and will continue production on the farm. Does are judged on their frame and structure based on how they would carry the extra weight of being pregnant and the stress of milking.
Wethers, which are castrated male goats, are judged on the total marketability of the animal. The Grand Champion Market Wether was shown by Jessup (Randolph County) and Alainna Houck, from Stanly County, showed the Reserve Champion Market Wether.
“We would like to thank Ricky DeWitt and John Mullen from Richmond County Farm Bureau for passing out awards,” Tiffanee Conrad, Livestock Extension Agent, said. “And a big thank you to the American Legion for providing lunch.
“We would also like to thank our Richmond County 4-H Meat Goat Show Sponsors who made the show possible: Richmond County Farm Bureau, Inc., The Berry Patch, Pee Dee Electric Membership, Smithfield Hog Production, E.E. Vuncannon, Inc., Dale & Melanie DeWitt, Long’s Pool and Spa Center, Tom MacCallum, Rockingham Paint and Glass, Stogner Architecture, BioZyme, Inc., Richmond County United Way, and NC Cooperative Extension,
For more information about 4-H Livestock, please contact Tiffanee Conrad at (910) 997-8255, or visit the Richmond County 4-H Facebook page at www.facebook.com/richmondcounty4h.
Members of Richmond County Livestock Club 2017: Pictured from left: Tobey Lunceford, Ava Berry, Savannah Shepard, Ella Hoffman, Payton Smith, Maddie Hoffman, Lexi Reep, DeLani Reep, and Coleman Berry. Not pictured: Gavin Sessoms, Ella Shelley, and Rhett Shelley.
