Fair hosts condensed, one-day cattle show

The beef shows on Wednesday had less participants that most years, mainly due to uncertainty that the pandemic would be mild enough to have a full Lawrence County Fair this year and the fact that it takes a year to raise cows for the shows and many don’t want to invest in a cow unless they know for sure there is going to be a fair.

But the show did go on.

The first show of the night was beef breeding.

Aniston Payne, 9, of the Starlight 4-H, was first in the first class and Colt Lambert, 11, of the Getaway Go-Getters 4-H, came in first in the second and third classes.

This was Payne’s first year showing and she was beyond happy to win.

“I’m feeling excited. This was my first year and worked with her really well. I even worked with my sister’s (Abigail’s) calf,” she said.

When it came time for the final breeding round, she was named the grand champion, much to her surprise.

“I am very surprised. Because we worked hard but still, sometimes Princess can try to run,” Payne said. “But mostly, she is the best because she is Princess.”

Lambert said he would have liked to see more competitors in his classes, but “I’m happy I won.”

In the feeder calf steer section, Sophia Fout, 9, of the Starlight 4-H club, took first place.

“I feel pretty good about it,” she said. “I just like doing this and Stony is a good cow, too. They are easy to work with.”

She felt even better when she took grand champion later on.

“I was hoping I would get a grand champion, but I wasn’t really expecting it,” Fout said. “Especially since this is my first year. I’m so happy I can’t even say.”

In the feeder heifer category, Jacob Cade took first place.

In the senior feeder and beef breeding showmanship category, Abigail Payne, of Starlight 4-H club. took first place in first class. In showmanship, the person is judged on how they show and control their cow.

“It was pretty hard. I don’t smile that much, so I don’t know how I won it,” she said.

In the junior showmanship category, Fout won for a third time. Did she expect to?

“No,” she said. “I’m really excited.”

In the market beef show, Addyson Humphrey took first in the first class, Gracie Daniels, of the Over Yonder 4–H club, took first in the second class, Teddilynn Craft took first in the third class and Colt Lambert took first in the fourth class. The classes were divided by weight of the cows.

Humphrey, of the Greasy Ridge Gang 4-H club, was happy to win with this being her first year showing.

“I’m surprised, excited and some other feelings,” she said. “I’m still processing it. I thought I was going to get last place because my steer has been acting up lately.”

Daniels enjoyed her victory.

“It was pretty good,” said Daniels, adding she was a little nervous competing against her brother, Gunner. “But really, I wanted either one of us to win.”

Craft, of Symmes Valley FFA, was happy with her first place.

“I can breathe now,” she said, with a laugh.

She also took senior showmanship and grand champion.

“It was everything I could have hoped for,” Craft said.

Kinsley Moore, of the Starlight 4-H club, won reserve champion and said it felt good to win.

“I was afraid I was going to come in last,” she said.