County Junior livestock show held
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on April 16, 2009 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/GREG SOUSA
Contestants Dalton Ginn, Cody Craig, Caleb Heath and Adam McCullen display their goats in the Junior Meat Goat Division during the 61st annual Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale Wednesday night at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
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News-Argus/GREG SOUSA
Despite having a hard time convincing her calf to walk, Rebecca Grady, 10, went on to claim the Grand Champion prize in the Junior Feeder Calf Division during the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show. Grady took a cast off her own broken foot to compete in the show.
Nothing was going to stop Rebecca Grady from showing her calf in the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale on Wednesday night.
Not even a broken leg.
Rebecca, 10, the daughter of Mack and Heather Grady of Seven Springs, had to take off her walking cast and squeeze into a pair of regular cowboy boots in order to walk her 500-pound animal around the ring, but it paid off when her entry won Grand Champion at the event held at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
A student at Parrott Academy in Kinston, she said the time she spent in the show ring was painful, but worth it.
"It hurt but I was willing to take it," Rebecca said, grinning, "because I wanted to win."
Avery Faulkner took Reserve Champion in the division.
Rebecca wasn't the only determined young person in Wednesday night's event -- the 61st annual show and sale sponsored by the county Livestock Development Association.
Daniel Dunn, 7, the son of Dale and Angie Dunn of the Jordan's Chapel community, took first place in the Novice Class in the showmanship portion of the goat show. A second-grader at Grantham School, he was happy about winning, but even more happy about his reward. His father promised him a new pair of cowboy boots if he won and he was as excited about the boots as he was the blue ribbon clutched in his hand.
The event continued today, with a hog show this morning and award presentations and sale tonight.
More than 50 Wayne County youth ages 5 through 19 are competing in the event.
Sister and brother Rachel McCullen and Adam McCullen took the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion titles in the meat goat category.
Rachel 11, is a student at Mount Olive Middle School. Adam, 14, attends Wayne Early Middle College High. The two had finished one-two before, but with Adam on top the first time around. Their parents are Joey and Lisa McCullen, who said their children are competitive, but supportive of one another, even when they are vying for the same prize.
The winner in the meat goat showmanship's Junior Division was Alec Linton.
Elizabeth Rowe, 16, the daughter of Vivian Rowe and a student at Wayne Early Middle College High, won the senior showmanship award in the meat goat division. She said the Wayne County show and sale is not as competitive as the show held at the county fair in the fall because there are competitors from outside the county.
But she said the Wayne event is important because it brings together the Wayne youth interested in livestock and gives them more of a learning opportunity. Elizabeth said she plans to study veterinary medicine.