Beef judging wraps up fair

By Liz McMahan
Assistant City Editor

September 06, 2008 11:33 pm

— Skippy, a 17-month-old Hereford heifer seemed content with the routine of getting ready to parade another stock show ring.
She stood contentedly as Vaughn Miller gave her a final haircut for the judge and her owner, Spencer Miller, 13.
Spencer was busy combing every hair into place after his dad ran the clippers.
Skippy was one of 19 heifers competing on the final day of activities at the Muskogee County 4-H and FFA Fair.
The day’s competition also included steer and hog judging.
Tony Nichols, superintendent of the heifer division, said the show went very well, that he saw several animals he thinks will be competitive as they move onto other shows.
The number of animals was down some, likely because of higher feed prices, Nichols said.
What the exhibitors got out of the shows amounted to more than winning ribbons or plaques, Nichols said.
“These shows are not just about livestock, they are about kids,” Nichols said. “I don’t care if they show a goat or a steer, we’re not promoting a species, we’re promoting kids.”
Spencer, a student at Midway School at Council Hill, said Skippy got her name because she did a little “hop, skip and jump” when he and his dad were breaking her to lead.
She’s pretty calm now, Spencer said.
“On certain occasions, when she gets spooked, she’ll still skip a little bit,” he said.
When that happens, she calms down quickly as he brushes her around the face, he said.
Skippy is one of five head of Herefords in the herd Spencer has developed since he started showing four years ago.
She and Spencer have been together through local, county and regional livestock shows, went to a national show this summer and will make the fall fair show circuit this summer. She’s young enough to show through one more round of spring stock shows and then she’ll join his other cows in the pasture.
Skippy hasn’t won any major awards on the show circuit yet, but Spencer wears a large black, gold and silver belt buckle he won as champion junior showman at the regional Hereford show.
He won junior showmanship competition again Saturday at the fair. Skippy placed second in her class in the all other breeds division.
While he’s thrilled with his showmanship awards, that’s not the best part of showing cattle, Spencer said.
The best part is all the people you meet along the way, he said.

Results
Here are the winners of the judging in the beef division of the Muskogee County 4-H and FFA Fair on Saturday:
Heifers
Supreme and reserve supreme: Jori McPeak, Warner FFA.
Champion Shorthorn: Amanda Watson, Oktaha FFA.
Champion Maine-Anjou: Jori McPeak, Warner FFA.
Champion commercial: Amanda Watson, Oktaha FFA.
Champion all other breeds: Jordan Leatherman, Muskogee FFA.

Steers
Champion prospect; Kyle Gatzman, Muskogee 4-H.
Champion market: Brooke Chappell, Webbers Falls FFA.
Reserve champion market: Chelsea Morris, Warner FFA.
Reach Liz McMahan at 684-2926 or lmcmahan@ muskogeephoenix.com.

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