Gayle Christian, judge from Stephenville, Texas, presents Grand and Reserve Champion honors to Chea Townsend, left,
and Ashlea Brown, both members of the Sulphur Springs FFA.

Two Sulphur Springs FFA Members
Capture Top Awards In Market Goat Show
Thursday Night

by: Bobby McDonald

Two young ladies from the Sulphur Springs FFA Chapter were "beaming" brightly, after their market goats had captured the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion honors in the 2006 NETLA Goat Show, Thursday night. The event unfolded in the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center before a large crowd, that gathered for both the Market Lamb and Market Goat shows. Chea Townsend showed her medium weight market goat to top honors, while her classmate, Alecia Brown, captured the second spot and Reserve Grand Champion honors.

Reid Burns, a Miller Grove FFA member, shows his Market Goat in Thursday night's competiton.

 

"I'm really excited when I look at this large number of goats in the show and how much the quality has improved over the show that was only held last year," expressed Gayle Christian, judge from Stephenville, Texas. "I was honored to judge this show last year, too, and I'm really excited about how you folks have improved the quality of the goats in the show. The dairy cattle numbers in Hopkins County may have slipped just a little bit, but looks like quality market goats are replacing them!"

Paige, left, and Hunter Cooksey, twins from Como-Pickton, showed their Market Goats in the 2006 NETLA Show,
Thursday night. They are the children of Mrs. & Mrs. Danny Cooksey, and live in the Greenpond Community.

Christian, a retired Vocational Agriculture teacher, also received a warm round of applause from the entire audience, when he commented on the great opportunities that are afforded youth when they raise and show livestock. "Every student is not destined for college," affirmed Christian. "Although some of my former students have made doctors, lawyers, politicians, and even ministers, there were many that gained the opportunity to be great citizens, simply by their participation in livestock projects, just like your kids are participating in tonight. The projects teach them outstanding responsibility, a work ethic, and how to enjoy themselves in friendly competition!"

 

A line-up of male exhibitors is shown on the left, but as is evidenced on the right, by Alina Tatum, a member of the Sulphur
Springs FFA, goats are a very popular animal project with the female members of 4-H and FFA, too. A large group of
both male and female students showed goats in the largest goat show to-date, in Hopkins County.

Before the actual market show classes began, youth goat exhibitors competed in showmanship classes according to their age. Two cousins from Miller Grove FFA walked away with top honors in the contests that are designed to award the youths that exhibit their animals properly, groom them to perfection, and have an overall showing presence, when they present their animal in the showring. Miller Grove third-grader, Madison Rater, daughter of James and Shelley Rater, was named Junior Showmanship winner, after she exhibited her goat before Judge Christian. Then, only moments later, a young man who already had a Market Lamb Showmanship buckle on his belt, and had won Reserve Grand Champion honors in the Market Lamb Show, Miller Grove 7th grader, Cayle Watson, showed his outstanding showing abilities, as he was again selected as the Senior Goat Showman, out of a field of outstanding youth showmen. Cayle is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Shane Watson, and both Cayle and Madison are the grandchildren of longtime Vocational Agriculture Teacher, Richard Watson, who has taught at both Miller Grove and Sulphur Springs.

Cayle Watson, is congratulated by Judge Gayle Christian, as he wins his second Senior
Showmanship Award for the night, when he was named winner of the Market Goat Senior Showmanship Contest.


And, Cayle's younger cousin, Madison Rater, shows the perfect form that landed her in the winner's circle,
as the 2006 Junior Market Goat Showmanship Winner, at this year's show.

"Richard Watson just keeps on going," expressed a by-stander on the side of the ring, as he fondly remembered being one of Watson's students back in the late 1970's in Sulphur Springs. "Watson has shown himself, trained three generations of showmen, all across Hopkins County, and now has his grandchildren striving for the winner's circle. What a tribute to a lifetime spent involved with the youth of this area!"

Members of the audience left the Civic Center, following the naming of the sale order for Saturday night's Sale of Champions, and were making plans to return to the Civic Center Arena at 6:00 p.m., Friday night, when the Market Swine Show will begin, with a record number of entries. The Market Broiler Show begins activities at 7:30 a.m., on Saturday, followed by the Market Steer Show and the Heifer Show.

Hopkins County 4-H member, Dallas Dannheim, was just one of the swine exhibitors that was on the sidelines
during the lamb and goat shows, cheering on their friends and classmates. Dallas and the other swine exhibitors
invite everyone to come-out on Friday night, at 6:00 p.m., and watch them show their market swine.

Congratulations to
All of Our Winners!

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