PHOTO: Brady Nichols of Autauga County exhibited the reserve champion Performance Documented Steer during the Jr. Beef Expo Market Show. The show, coordinated by the Alabama Farmers Federation, was March 18 in Montgomery and was held in conjunction with the Southeastern Livestock Exposition. Nichols is pictured with Logan Strock.
Livestock Expos Expand, Showcase Exhibitors’ Work Ethic
By Marlee Moore
Submitted to the EAN
Excitement coursed through the Garrett Coliseum grounds March 17-19 as hundreds of youth exhibited livestock in the annual Jr. Beef Expo (JBE) and inaugural Jr. Swine Expo (JSE).
Alabama Farmers Federation and Alfa Insurance sponsor the events in Montgomery, held in conjunction with the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) as Alabama’s livestock show season grand finale.
“If you walk up to the ring, you hear us talking about cattle and hogs,” said Federation and Alfa President Jimmy Parnell. “What we’re really doing is raising young people and teaching them how to take care for things. That applies to most areas of people’s lives. We are investing time and money and effort in these young people, and I think we’ll see benefits down the road from this event.”
Growing up, Sammie Stone of Jefferson County showed cattle at JBE. This year, her children, Tucker Ross and Charlee Stone, exhibited award-winning hogs at JSE and were recognized with other top showmen during Saturday night’s SLE Rodeo.
“To have our kids included in the rodeo is incredible,” Stone said. “We got into hogs as a starter animal to show livestock. The kids were little, and the animals were smaller. I planned on rolling into the cattle side, but the kids just love hogs. We’ve traveled all over the country and made friends. They’ve taken to it, so we’re still here.”
Stone’s children joined over 50 fellow showmen who exhibited 100-plus hogs at JSE. Additionally, around 180 exhibitors showed over 300 head of cattle during JBE. Parnell said the Federation hopes to add more livestock species to the weekend event.
During JBE and JSE, youth competed in showmanship contests, where they were judged on their ability to lead, control and present animals while bringing out the hog or calf’s best characteristics. In market and breeding shows, the students’ animals were judged on strength, structure and soundness.
Ross exhibited the grand champion Market Hog, while Alyx Johnson of Randolph County showed the grand champion Breeding Gilt. In the JBE, Walker Johnson of Cullman County and LouLou Thompson of Pike County showed the winning Market Steer and Breeding Heifer, respectively.
The show concludes months of work for youth and their families. After selecting animals and preparing barns and pens, daily feeding, washing, walking and watering follows. The time and effort pays off, Stone said.
“I have found that kids who do farm work have to get up when the weather is bad, when they don’t feel good. They still have to work,” she said. “I think in today’s workforce, that’s what employers need. I’d like to thank Alfa for sponsoring our kids and investing in them. Farm kids are our future.”
