Cousins sweep State Goat and Lamb shows at the Georgia National Fair

Deron Rehberg, Grady Co. CEC/4-H & Ag

In a year when it seems like everything has either been canceled or gone virtual due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the board members of the Georgia National Fair decided to still host the Georgia National Fair Livestock Shows even though the rest of the fair events were canceled.

This decision was praised by hundreds of 4-H and FFA members and their parents across the state.  The board’s decision shows they truly support the youth livestock show program and is very much appreciated.  This past weekend, the Georgia National Fairgrounds hosted the Georgia 4-H/FFA State Market Lamb and Market Goat Shows, as well as, the fair Market Steer and Breeding Heifer Shows.

Grady County 4-H had 5 4-H’ers exhibiting market goats in the state show.  They included Emily Womble, Tanner Norton, Lily Norton, Cheyne Norton, and Mylin Parramore.  Tanner also exhibited lambs in the state market lamb show.

Grady County 4-H has had an awesome run at the fair the past three years and when you think it couldn’t get any better, it did!  After months of hard work preparing their animals for the final event, our 4-H’ers started to see their hard work pay off.  In the Market Wether Show, Emily Womble’s 84 lb. homegrown wether placed 8th and Mylin Parramore’s 75 lb. wether placed 2nd in their respective classes.  Tanner exhibited two wethers, both winning first place in their respective classes. In the final drive of the Market Wether Show, Cheyne Norton won Reserve Champion in Division ll with his 74 lb. wether and he went on to be named the 5th Overall Wether in the show.  Lily Norton won Division lV with her 101 pound wether that went on to be named Grand Champion of the 2020 Georgia 4-H/FFA State Market Goat Wether Show by Judge Steve Sturtz.

In the Market Doe Show, Mylin Parramore placed 2nd in class with her 65 lb. doe.  Emily Womble was excited when her homegrown does that weighed 51 lbs. place 7th and her 59 lb. doe placed 9th in their respective classes.  Tanner won 1st place with his 65 lb. doe and Cheyne’s 90 lb. class winning doe went on to win Division X and 3rd Overall Doe.  Lily won class 27 with her doe that was selected as Division Vl Champion and for the second time in two days, Judge Sturtz named Lily and her 59 pound doe as Grand Champion of the 2020 Georgia 4-H/FFA State Market Doe Show.  By winning both the doe and market wether shows, Lily picked up her 4th and 5th “Master” 4-H’er titles.

This was Lily’s senior year and final State Market Goat Show.  She has been showing goats since the 4th grade and even though she has shown numerous Top 5 winners at the state show this is the first year she has ever won Grand Champion and to win Champion honors in both the wether and doe shows was like putting “icing on the cake” for her senior year and an awesome way to close out an outstanding show career!

As the goat show came to an end and we transitioned into the market lamb show Saturday afternoon, both of Tanner’s lambs that weighed 128 and 145 pounds placed 4th in their respective classes.  Tanner won class 9 with his 137 lb. Hampshire/Suffolk cross wether that went on to win Division ll Champion and was ultimately named Grand Champion of the 2020 Georgia 4-H/FFA State Market Lamb Show by Judge Craig Beckmier, earning Tanner a fifth “Master” 4-H’er title.

As you can see, Grady County 4-H had an exciting time at the Georgia National Fair.  Congratulations to all our exhibitors on a job well done.