Livestock Exhibitors Take the Arena in Montgomery County

Several Montgomery County exhibitors loaded up their swine projects early in the morning on Saturday, February 18, and made their way to the Montgomery County Farm Bureau livestock arena to compete in the annual livestock show, which was judged by Michael Kirkland of Wayne County.

This year’s exhibitors were Levi Medlock, Landon Burns, Alice Braddy, Tatum Williams, Sawyer Medlock, Luke Burns, Patricia Horne, and Mason Connell. The students brought a total of 17 pigs to the show to vie for titles in showmanship and weight classes. Showmanship Division

The show began with showmanship classes, which judge how well the students exhibit their animals. Sawyer Medlock took home first place in Pre-Club Showmanship with his brother Levi Medlock, who followed, earning a close second place. Landon Burns won the Novice Showmanship Class.

Alice Braddy and Tatum Williams competed for the Junior Showmanship title. Braddy was named the Junior Showmanship champion and Williams came in second. The competition in the Senior Showmanship class was intense, as Luke Burns, Patricia Horne, and Mason Connell all competed for the title. Burns was named Champion Senior Showman, while Horne took second and Connell came in third.

Barrow Division

Immediately following showmanship was the barrow show. Barrows were broken up by weight into light, medium, and heavy classes. Luke Burns and his pig “Rascal” won the light barrow class, while Patricia Horne and “Cash” came in second. In the medium barrow class, Alice Braddy and “Diggory” took first, as Mason Connell and “Babe” claimed second, and Landon and “Superman” trailed in third place. The heavy barrow class finished up barrow weight classes. Mason Connell and “Brutus” took home the gold, followed by Tatum Williams and “Blackeyed Pea” in second place.

All class winners returned to the ring for the Grand and Reserve Champion Drive. Luke Burns’s pig, “Rascal,” from the light barrow weight class, was named Grand Champion, and Alice Braddy’s pig, “Diggory,” from the medium barrow weight class, won Reserve Champion Barrow. The Grand Champion Barrow was sponsored by Altamaha Bank and Trust, while the Reserve Champion Barrow was sponsored by Mount Vernon Bank.

Gilt Division

The gilt show began with the light gilt weight class. Luke Burns and “Susie” took first place in the light class, and his pig, “Sally Gal,” also claimed second in the same class. Patricia Horne and “Fancy” finished third in the light class, as Sawyer Medlock’s “Milk n Cookies” took home the fourth place prize.

Landon Burns and “Superwoman” took first in the medium gilt weight class, as Patricia Horne and “Jolene” took second, and Levi Medlock and “Milk n Oreos” trailed in third. In the heavy gilt class, Alice Braddy won with her pig “Polly” followed by Mason Connell, who claimed second and third in the class with his pigs “Miley” and “Big Bertha.”

All class winners returned to the ring for the Grand and Reserve Champion Drive. Luke Burns’s pig “Susie” from the light gilt weight class was named Grand Champion Gilt, while Alice Braddy’s pig “Polly” from the heavy gilt weight class claimed Reserve Champion Gilt. The Grand Champion Gilt was sponsored by Altamaha EMC, and the Reserve Champion Gilt was sponsored by AgSouth Farm Credit Vidalia.

Montgomery Bred Division The Montgomery Bred Division followed the gilt and barrow show. Any pig raised/bred in Montgomery County that did not claim a grand or reserve title was eligible to show in this division.

Four pigs were exhibited in the Montgomery Bred Division. The Grand Champion Montgomery Bred was shown by Landon Burns (“Sally Gal”) and the Reserve Champion Montgomery Bred was exhibited by Mason Connell (“Babe”). The Montgomery Bred Division is sponsored by Montgomery County Farm Bureau. Adult Showmanship & Youth Open Divisions Adult showmanship and the youth open division concluded the show in a fun way. There were two classes of adults vying for the adult showmanship title, which was judged by Judge Michael Kirkland and Senior Showmanship Champion Luke Burns.

John Braddy took home the plaque for adult showmanship, with Tracy Braddy, Sheila Braddy, Eric Moxley, and Russ Connell rounding out the adults that made final drive. In the youth open division, Bray Williamson and John Braddy Jr. were named the top two exhibitors.

For more information on showing livestock, contact your local agriculture teacher or extension agent.

MONTGOMERY LIVESTOCK SHOW EXHIBITORS – Eight students from Montgomery County took their prized pigs to the arena to show in the Montgomery County Livestock Show on Saturday, February 18. L to R, front row: Levi Medlock, Sawyer Medlock. L to R, middle row: Alice Braddy, Landon Burns. L to R, back row: Luke Burns, Mason Connell, Patricia Horne, and Tatum Williams.