Category Archives: Livestock Shows

5 Ways Summer Is Different for Livestock Kids

There’s something about summertime. School is out. The sun is shining, and anything cool sounds good (please pass the ice cream). Many families go on vacation or spend days at the pool. Children attend camps and make special memories with friends all summer long. Summer is a special time, but it does not look the same for everyone. Here’s 5 ways summer is different for kids with livestock. 1.Family vacations are to livestock shows. With some big livestock shows taking place in the middle of summer, families involved in the livestock show world, pack up, and make the trip to…

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A Red Pig Named Cajun: Road to the Winner’s Circle

In a barn in Kenly, North Carolina, a litter of red pigs was born to a sow named Ruby. One of those little pigs would be hand-picked by a girl in a neighboring town and go on to win a championship. This is the story of a couple of girls, family teamwork, and a red pig named Cajun. Sarah Scott (right), Taylor Glover (middle), & NC State Fair hog judge (left) Pigs, although often thought as a pinkish white in color, actually come in many colors and patterns. The Duroc breed is characterized by their beautiful red color that ranges…

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The Life of a Ribbon After the Show

If you’ve ever shown livestock at the N.C. State Fair, you know that if you walk away with nothing else, you will leave with awesome memories and at least one ribbon. If you are like many livestock showman, you leave with several ribbons, because let’s be honest, many of us can’t show just one animal. I’d say it’s a problem we have, but I don’t think it really is a problem. And, if you are like a lot of livestock showman, you have ribbons that span years of livestock showing. I may or may not be talking about myself here….

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Youth Compete in the Round Robin Showmanship Invitational

After a long, yet exciting, two weeks of livestock shows, performances, fair food, rides, lights, fireworks, contests, and 977,256 people attending, the N.C. State Fair ended. For livestock show participants, there was definitely a sadness that the it was over, and also a bit of relief too. Perhaps now, they could relax a bit. It had been a long few days of competing for exhibitors, and even longer months preparing for the shows. However, for a select few youth, the competitions weren’t over. Even after the NC State Fair closes its gates, it still holds livestock judging and skillathon competitions…

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The Hand of the Buyer Extends Beyond the Stroke of a Check: NC State Fair Sale of Champions

On October 13th, a record was set in the state of North Carolina. The NC State Fair Sale of Champions brought in a record-breaking number of $190,000. Buyers bought champion goats, sheep, steers, and pigs exhibited by youth at the fair in the auction. Although many a check was stroked, the hand of the buyer goes far beyond that initial check. If a map of those affected by this Sale of Champions were created, there would be a web extending across the country. The hand of the buyer goes much farther than a raise for a bid or the stroke…

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More than Showing Livestock…It’s Family

In the livestock show world, family is a big deal. They are your cheerleaders, and greatest critic. They back the trailers, feed you between classes, hold you during disappointment, and celebrate with you through wins. In short, showing livestock is a family endeavor. However, the cool thing about that family, is it is often much larger than the one you were born with. This is a story of more than one family, but in reality, they seem more like one big family. It’s the story of two girls. Two families. And yet, sheep and one dream turned them into one…

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The Making of a Nurse: How Showing Livestock Impacted a Nursing Student

Did you know that there is a huge shortage in nurses throughout the USA? According to the American Nurses Association there will be a need for 3.44 million nurses by 2022 which is a 20.2 percent increase in RNs. In other words, there will be a need for 1.13 million additional nurses. That is a staggering number, but there are those who are seeking to fill those positions. Meet Megan Lawing. She is a nursing student at Gardner-Webb University. She is also a N.C. State Fair Livestock Scholarship recipient. Megan grew up showing sheep for 15 years and showed pigs…

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Scholarship Highlight–Abby Fulton and Returning Home

Some dream of moving away from home and exploring the big world out there. Some dream of going back home. Abigail Fulton is one of those that wants to go back home. Abby calls Greensboro home for much of the year as she attends the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. However, home for Abby is in Davidson County. It is there that she wants to go back to and use her degree of Human Development and Family Studies. “My goal is to return to my hometown in Davidson County to teach kindergarten one day. I want to be able…

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Scholarship Highlight–Tristen Fulton Chases Dreams Across the Nation and Globe

When it comes to becoming a veterinarian, there is no doubt there is a lot of school involved that comprises of some hard classes. Even during undergraduate pre-vet classes, there are some doozies. Almost every student second guesses their choice in career, and some just give up. However, for those who keep their eye on the goal of becoming a vet and are willing to put in the hard work, those goals are realized. Tristen Fulton has a dream of becoming a vet and a goal of opening her own clinic that focuses on cattle reproduction and specialize in embryology….

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Poise, Confidence, Character, and a Bit of Swag

Apollo the pig entered the ring with a bit of attitude. Gideon, my brother, was guiding him around the show ring calmly, asking Apollo to walk at a nice pace and make a few turns in front of the judge. I stood from the sidelines figuratively biting my nails because I had managed to break that habit many years ago. I was in danger of starting back up again, though. I’m always nervous for my little brothers in the show ring, especially this time. Apollo had been known to be super hard-headed, but Gideon had worked hard at home to…

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