Junior Livestock Show sets new records

January 15, 2013, 9:00 pm by Lyn Odom

Llanoite Jacey Smathers was all grins when her British Steer was chosen as Grand Champion at the Llano County Junior Livestock Show this weekend. PHOTO BY TOM SUAREZ

The numbers were high all the way around at this year’s Llano County Junior Livestock Show including total sales, individual animal prices, how many kids showed animals and how many animals were in the ring at times.

Approximately 135 FFA and 4-H members showed farm animals and at Saturday night’s premium Sale with the highest bid on a swine was $2,600, goat $2,600, lamb $2,200, pen of broilers $2,400, pen of rabbits $1,800, single turkey $1,100, heifer $3,000, and $4,500 for a steer.

Grand champion winners were Logan Bauer with his medium wool market lamb, Jacey Smathers with her British steer, James Smarr with his British Heifer, Kyle Tarter with his crossbred market hog, Chancey Lange with her meat goat, Cole Schmit with his tom turkey, Cooper Hill with his pen of broilers, and Cierra Caffey with her pen of rabbits.

Caitlyn Scott was the grand champion artist; McKenzie Jones won grand champion crafter, and Faith Painter won the grand champion in food.

The total sales for this year’s junior livestock show was approximately $159,900, which beat last year’s sales by $20,000.

Llano High School senior and competitor Jacey Smathers, "went out with a bang,” this year, she said, winning the grand championship for her British steer, winning the senior showmanship class for the fourth year in a row, and then selling her steer for $3,100, and all on her birthday, to boot.

"I’ve been a member of 4-H for nine years and FFA (Future Farmers of America) for four years,” Smathers said. "I’ve shown pigs, steers, heifers and goats – I’ve definitely done it all.”

For more of this story, and to see the list of winners and photos, see Wednesday's The Llano County Journal.