Northeast Texas Livestock Association’s 2021 Hopkins County Junior Livestock Show concluded Saturday with another successful Sale of Champions, featuring 135 of the top swine, goat, lamb, poultry and steer projects, which raised approximately half a million dollars for the students to apply toward their next projects or future education, according to initial estimates from NETLA officials.
“I’ve been asked several times this weekend what makes our show and sale perform the way it does. We don’t have a larger population than surrounding counties, we don’t have super large corporate sponsors, we don’t have several large towns to pull donations from, we’re just Hopkins County and we don’t know that we’re not supposed to be able to have a half million dollar county show. #Netla2021 is another for the record books,” NETLA officials posted on the organization’s official Facebook page Sunday.
Awards
Saturday’s event opened with presentation of buckles and awards to winners in each livestock category. The grand champion ag mechanics project, a squeeze chute, was constructed by Como-Pickton FFA members; the reserve champion, a skid steer bucket, by Cumby FFA; and the showmanship award in Tuesday’s ag mechanics project went to Caleb Harris with Saltillo FFA.
The Grand Champion Heifer was shown by Hopkins County 4-H member Abbie Melton and the Reserve Champion shown by Sulphur Springs FFA member Savannah Allen.
Three showmanship awards given by age of the exhibitor were presented in each of the five livestock categories, with awards sponsored by Catocon Inc., Tractor Supply Co, Burgin Pipe and Supply and SW Contracting. Top awards in each category went to the following exhibitors:
Steer
- Senior Showmanship – Destiny Lackey, Hopkins County 4-H
- Intermediate Showmanship – Claire Jalufka, Como-Pickton FFA
- Junior Showmanship – Braxton Purser, Miller Grove FFA
- Grand Champion – Canyon Thomas, Cumby FFA
- Reserve Champion – Dylan Strain, Sulphur Bluff FFA
Swine
- Senior Showmanship – Katelyn Pence, Hopkins County 4-H
- Intermediate Showmanship – Brody Busby, Hopkins County 4-H
- Junior Showmanship – Charleigh Smith, North Hopkins FFA
- Grand Champion – Emma Eddins, Hopkins County 4-H
- Reserve Champion – Danielle Garrett, Miller Grove FFA
Lamb
- Senior Showmanship, Grand Champion – Annie Horton, Sulphur Springs FFA
- Intermediate Showmanship – Ramsey Ragan, Hopkins County 4-H
- Junior Showmanship – Ryan Ragan, Hopkins County 4-H
- Reserve Champion – Reese Ragan, Hopkins County 4-H
Goat
- Senior Showmanship, Grand Champion – Caroline Coker, Sulphur Springs FFA
- Intermediate Showmanship, Grand Champion – Isaac Taylor, Cumby FFA
- Junior Showmanship – Camille Coker, Sulphur Springs FFA
Poultry
- Senior Showmanship, Reserve Champion – Micah Flemens, Hopkins County 4-H
- Intermediate Showmanship – Miley McCormack, Hopkins County 4-H
- Junior Showmanship – McKenna Post, Hopkins County 4-H
- Grand Champion – Penelope Deterding, Hopkins County 4-H
Heifers
- Senior Showmanship – Savannah Allen, Sulphur Springs FFA
- Intermediate Showmanship – Claire Jalufka, Como-Pickton FFA
- Junior Showmanship – Abbie Melton, Hopkins County 4-H
Scholarships
Each year during the sale, six scholarships are given in memory of Larry Spradlin and two given in memory of Bobby McDonald to students who will be candidates for graduation in the spring, have participated in the Junior Market Livestock Show for at least two years, and meet all other requirements outlined in a scholarship application.
This year’s NETLA Scholarships in memory of Larry Spradlin were Sulphur Springs FFA member Savannah Allen, $2,500; Sulphur Bluff FFA member Montana Hurley, $2,000; Sulphur Springs FFA member Annie Horton, $2,000; Como-Pickton FFA member Chloe Romero, $1,500; North Hopkins FFA member Jessica Hatley, $1,500; and Hopkins County 4-H member Emma Eddins, $1,000.
Bobby McDonald Memorial Scholarships in the amount of $500 each were awarded to Sulphur Bluff FFA member Micah Johnson and Sulphur Springs FFA member Maurie Flecker.
Scholarships are funded through individual donations, a portion of the entry fee and proceeds from the scholarship animal that is sold at the end of the annual Sale of Champions. This year’s scholarship animal, a steer, was purchased by a large group who went in together to raise $14,000 which will be applied toward scholarships.
Raffle
Jackson Reed received the Jackie Gibson Memorial Award for selling the highest number of raffle sales. Reed sold 42 books of tickets for the raffle for a few sides of beef, with 100 percent of the funds raised from the raffle going back into the sale. A buyer at the sale bids on projects. What’s not used during the sale is applied later as add-on funding for livestock projects that may need a little help.
David Stickels won one of the sides of beef. The other will be awarded to a person named Carolyn, who did not include a last name on her ticket information, but did include a phone number, so the Gibson family will notify her of the prize.
Sale Of Champions
After an invocation and singing of the national anthem, the Sale of Champions auction began, with 135 projects and one scholarship steer sol Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021.
Thomas’ grand champion steer sold for $5.50 a pounds at auction to 10-2-4 Ranch and Burgin Pipe and Steel. The steer weighed 1,465 pounds and had a listed resale value of $1,465. Strain’s reserve champion steer sold at auction for $4.50 a pounds to 1st Choice Home Health; the steer weighed 1,385 pounds and had a listed resale value of $1,385.
Eddins’ grand champion swine sold for $4,200 at auction to Alliance Bank, Toliver Ford and Northeast Texas Farmers Cooperative. The 268 pounds pig had a listed resale value of $135. Garrett’s reserve champion steer sold at action for $3,600 to Hopkins County Abstract, Texana, Datamax, Paula and Dan Brown and K Lazy S Farms; the pig weighed 275 pounds and had a listed resale value of $137.50.
Horton’s grand champ lamb sold at auction for $4,500 to Catocon, Bell Concrete City National Bank and Burgin Pipe and Steel. The lamb weighed 167 and had a listed resale value of $183.70. Reese Ragan’s reserve champ lamb sold for $3,800 Legacy Ag Credit; it weighed 143 pounds and had listed resale value of $157.30.
Taylor’s grand champion goat sold at auction for $4,600 to 5W Contractors. The goat weighed 97 pounds and had a listed resale value of $203.70. Coker’s reserve champ goat sold at acution for $3,200 to Texas A&M University-Commerce, Farm Country, City National Bank, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, Toliver Ford and Eddie and Tawlene Lampp; the goat weighed 90 pounds and had a listed resale value of $189.
Deterding’s grand champion broilers sold at auction for $3,600 to Triple Crown Roofing and Toliver Ford. Flemens’ reserve champion poultry sold for $3,400 to Catocon, City National Bank and Sulphur Springs Dodge.
