The Fayette County Junior Fair Market Dairy Show was held on Wednesday morning and a number of exhibitors were honored.
The show began about 10 a.m. with the Dairy Feeder portion of the show. Starting off the victories was Quinton Marine and his project, who claimed the grand champion prize. With a smile, Marine spoke about his work before the fair.
“I don’t really mind (being named Grand Champion) I just like to show — this is my first year — and I would’ve been alright not even placing in the overall drive, I was just glad to show,” Marine said. “We got (his project) in January and we started to walk him like two months after. I hope to keep placing well. We are going to bring him back next year as a steer.”
Following Marine, Matthew Webb took the Reserve Grand Champion prize with his feeder.
“I worked with him since he was a baby and brought him out,” Webb said as the judge continued to place the final exhibitors. “Last year I had a calf die at the beginning, same thing happened again this year and that was (his project’s) buddy. I told (my feeder) before we started to do it for ‘Chief’ and he started crying. I have two more years in 4-H and I plan to keep going.”
The next half of the show — the Market Dairy Steer portion — started immediately and with just a few classes to assess, the judge was quick and named River Havens’ project the Grand Champion Dairy Steer.
“It feels good, it feels great (to be named Grand Champion),” River Havens said on Wednesday. “We have walked them for a long time. I feel like I accomplished a lot today. I want to thank my parents for helping me with the project, my brother and my family just helps a lot!”
The Reserve Grand Champion Dairy Steer was selected next and the crowd roared as Bayley Thompson’s project was honored.
“I wasn’t expecting (to be selected), but I am glad I could get him here as a steer,” Thompson said. “I would like to thank Josh Cash for the opportunity to have him and my parents for helping me through it. (To the younger exhibitors) just give it all you got and bring them in.”
Finally, Hunter Havens was honored as the 2020 Overall Dairy Beef Showman after a close competition with Anita Pursell, who won the Dairy Feeder Showman earlier in the show. Havens was happy to win and — just like his brother River — wanted to say, “thank you.”
“I want to thank my family — they are always there for me and help me — my brother and everybody,” Hunter Havens said. “It feels great to know all of my hard work paid off during the summer. I would say the fact my steer was calm really attributed to the win. It takes work every day — day and night — to get them that calm.”
Reach Martin Graham at 740-313-0351.
