Norton’s steer is State Beef Show Champion

Grady Co. CEC/4-H & Ag

The 2020 Georgia 4-H & FFA State Livestock Shows were held in Perry at the Georgia National Fairgrounds on Feb. 19 – 22. Grady County 4-H, Cairo High FFA and Shiver FFA had 10 exhibitors who showed their animals in the state market hog show, state market steer show, and state breeding ewe show.

Representing Grady County 4-H in the market hog show was Wade Collins, Lily Norton, Hanna Powe and Asher Childs.  Tanner Norton represented Cairo High School FFA and showing under Shiver FFA’s banner was Will Collins, Josh Daughtry, Eli Cooper, Ethan Collinsworth and Noah Cooper.  Our highlight in the hog barn was Wade’s barrow, which placed 4th in his respective weight class. Will placed 4th with his purebred Yorkshire gilt and was 1 of 15 who made the call back for the 6th grade showmanship division. Josh placed 9th with his gilt in weight class and Eli’s gilt placed 10th in class.

Tanner Norton was our sole 4-H exhibitor in the cattle barn.  His 1,275-pound Charolais steer placed 3rd in class and then the excitement began. Tanner’s other steer was a 1,360-pound Crossbred steer. He started out by winning his weight class and then Judge Jirl Buck of Madill, Okla., named Tanner’s steer Champion of the Crossbred division. As the Market Beef Show concluded and all the steer breed champions and the market heifer champion came back for the selection of the overall Top 5 Beef Animals, Tanner’s Crossbred steer was selected as the overall Grand Champion of the 2020 Georgia Junior National Livestock Market Beef Show, earning him his fourth “Master” 4-H’er title. Tanner now has the distinction of winning the State Market Beef Show, Market Lamb Show, the Goat Market Wether Show, and the Goat Market Doe Show.

In the State Breeding Ewe Show, Tanner Norton was also our lone 4-H exhibitor. Tanner’s 132-pound Black Face ewe placed 3rd in class. Tanner didn’t get to show his second ewe as he was tied up in the cattle barn showing for the Crossbred steer division championship.

Lily Norton saw her tenure as a Georgia National Fair Ambassador come to an end. She has been 1 of 10 Ambassadors who has worked tirelessly this past year to promote Georgia Agriculture at various events held during the year at the Georgia National Fairgrounds.

As our 2019 – ’20 4-H/FFA livestock show season comes to an end, we congratulate all our exhibitors on a job well done.  If you are interested in showing goats, lambs, hogs or cattle in our 2020-’21 show season, please give me (Grady County 4-H), Alan Collins (Shiver FFA), Robbie Harrison (CHS FFA), or Tracy Champagne (Whigham FFA) a call and we will be glad to discuss our 4-H and FFA Livestock Show Programs with you.