2024 Montgomery County Livestock Show Brings Competition

Eleven Montgomery County exhibitors loaded up their swine projects early in the morning on Saturday, February 17, and made their way to the Montgomery County Farm Bureau Livestock Arena to compete in the annual Montgomery County Livestock Show. The show was judged by Dr. Meredith Arrington, agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor at Effingham College and Career Academy. This year’s exhibitors were Levi and Sawyer Medlock, Alice, Caleb, and John Braddy, Luke and Landon Burns, Clay Williams, Macie Dixon, Patricia Horne, and Maecon Lynn. The students brought a total of twenty pigs to the show to vie for titles in showmanship and weight classes.

The show began with showmanship classes, which judge how well the student exhibits their animals. Sawyer Medlock took home first place in Pre-Club Showmanship with his brother Levi taking a close second. Landon Burns won Novice Showmanship, Caleb Braddy took second, and Clay Williams rounded out the class in third place. Siblings Alice and John Braddy competed for the Junior Showmanship title. John was named the Junior Showmanship champion with Alice coming in second. Luke Burns, Patricia Horne, Maecon Lynn, and Macie Dixon competed for Senior Showmanship champion. Burns was named champion senior showman, with Horne taking second, Lynn in third, and Dixon in fourth place.

Immediately following showmanship was the barrow show. Barrows were broken up by weight into light and medium classes. Landon Burns and “Hulk” won the light barrow class, with John Braddy and “Jeff” coming in second. Macie Dixon and “Oreo” rounded out the class in third. In the medium barrow class, Alice Braddy and “Bolt” took first place. Both class winners returned to the ring for the Grand and Reserve Champion Drive. Landon Burns’ pig “Hulk” from the light barrow weight class was named Grand Champion, with John Braddy’s pig “Jeff” from the light barrow weight class winning Reserve Champion Barrow. The Grand Champion Barrow was sponsored by Altamaha Bank and Trust and the Reserve Champion Barrow was sponsored by Mount Vernon Bank.

The gilt show began with the light gilt weight class. Patricia Horne and “Truffle” took first place in the light class, and her pig “Nilla” also claimed second in the same class. Maecon Lynn with “Butters” finished third in the light class. Caleb Braddy and “Miss Nibs” took first in the medium gilt weight class, with Clay Williams and “Precious” taking second and Levi Medlock and “Bacon” in third. In the heavy gilt class, Luke Burns won with “Sweetie” followed by Levi Medlockclaiming second with “Wave,” John Braddy with “Lindsy” in third, and Sawyer Medlock with “Polka Dot” taking home fourth place. In the extra heavy gilt class, Landon Burns took home first place with “Dixie” followed by Clay Williams taking second with “Shirley.” Alice Braddy took home third place in the extra heavy class with “Ella” and Luke Burns’ pig “Pumpkin Pie” landed in fourth place. All class winners returned to the ring for the Grand and Reserve Champion Drive. Caleb Braddy’s pig “Miss Nibs” from the medium gilt weight class was named Grand Champion Gilt, with Landon Burns’ pig “Dixie” from the extra heavy gilt weight class claiming Reserve Champion Gilt. The Grand Champion Gilt was sponsored by Altamaha EMC and the Reserve Champion Gilt was sponsored by AgSouth Farm Credit Vidalia.

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 is eligible to show in this division. The Grand Champion Montgomery Bred pig was shown by Luke Burns (“Antman”) and the Reserve Champion Montgomery Bred was exhibited by Alice Braddy (“Bolt”). The Montgomery Bred Division is sponsored by Montgomery County Farm Bureau.

Adult showmanship concluded the show in a fun way. Judge Meredith Arrington asked Novice Showmanship Champion Landon Burns to help judge the adults. This year, adults competing in the adult showmanship class were Henry Price, Michael Stanley, Russ Connell, and Candace Medlock. Russ Connell was declared the winner of this year’s adult showmanship class.

The Montgomery County Livestock Association would like to thank the following individuals/ businesses for sponsoring our local show: 3D Farms, Ace Hardware/B& T Food Fresh of Mt. Vernon, Ag South Farm Credit Vidalia, All American Roofing, Alston Saw Shop, Altamaha Bank, Altamaha EMC, Ashley Thornton, Bar B Farms, Big Al’s, the Braddy Family, Brown Implement, Burlap and Twine, the Cauley Family, the Claxton Family, Chaney Bush Irrigation, Chick-Fil-A Vidalia, City of Mt. Vernon, Curtis Components, Doos by Mindy, Georgia First Bank, Griffin’s Warehouse McRae, Handy Andy, the Horne Family, Horne’s Sinkers, JQB Farms, Lasseter, LB Show Pigs, Mason Auto Parts, Montgomery County Commissioners, Montgomery County Farm Bureau, Montgomery County FFA, Moses Pecan, Mt. Vernon Bank, Mt. Vernon Insurance, Oggie’s Originals, Ohoopee Land and Timber, Ron Bivins, Rubie Nell Sanders, S& S Farm Supply, Southeastern Gin and Peanut, Southern Peach Marketplace, TA Blocker’s, Tammy Foskey, Telfair Forest Products, The Style Room Salon, Triangle Chemical, Vidalia Small Engine, and Waller Properties.

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

MONTGOMERY BRED RESERVE CHAMPION — Alice Braddy (left) and Judge Meredith Arrington (right) pose with the Montgomery Bred Reserve Champion, which was sponsored by Montgomery County Farm Bureau.

GRAND CHAMPION BARROW — Landon Burns (left) and Judge Meredith Arrington (right) pose with the Grand Champion Barrow, which was sponsored by Altamaha Bank and Trust.

RESERVE CHAMPION GILT — Landon Burns (left) and Judge Meredith Arrington (right) pose with the Reserve Champion Gilt, which was sponsored by AgSouth Farm Credit Vidalia.

MONTGOMERY BRED GRAND CHAMPION — Montgomery County Farm Bureau Agent Jody Wells (left), Luke Burns (center), and Judge Meredith Arrington (right) pose with the Montgomery Bred Grand Champion, which was sponsored by Montgomery County Farm Bureau.

RESERVE CHAMPION BARROW — John Braddy (left) and Judge Meredith Arrington (right) pose with the Reserve Champion Barrow, which was sponsored by Mount Vernon Bank.

GRAND CHAMPION GILT — Caleb Braddy (left) and Judge Meredith Arrington (right) pose with the Grand Champion Gilt, which was sponsored by Altamaha EMC/Fiber.