Ag News
GFB celebrates Georgia Junior National Livestock Champions
Posted on May 25, 2023 at 0:00 AM
By Jennifer Whittaker & Jay Stone, Georgia Farm Bureau
Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) celebrated the newest group of Georgia Junior National Livestock Show (GJNLS) winners during its Evening of Champions dinner, May 5. GFB welcomed the students, their families, FFA advisors and 4-H agents to its state office in Macon.
“Congratulations to all of you champions. Your accomplishment is a big deal. The time you spent working with your best friends, and I know how these animals turn into your best friends, paid off,” said GFB President Tom McCall. “There’s ten of y’all here tonight. You worked with your animals, and they won out over more than 4,800 animals registered for the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show in February and the goat and lamb shows last fall.”
This is the 12th year GFB has sponsored the cash prizes and belt buckles awarded to the GJNLS grand champion species exhibitors.
The Ga. Jr. National is open to Georgia 4-H and FFA members from across the state. The show is the culmination of the youth programs’ livestock projects, which give students a chance to learn how to care for beef cattle, dairy heifers, hogs, goats and lambs for months, train them to be shown, and then compete for state honors as having the best animal in the various species categories.
About 1,903 Georgia 4-H and FFA students from across the state showed 2,816 animals as they competed in the 2023 GJNLS Feb. 22-25 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry.
Some 354 4-H and FFA members showed 707 goats in the 2022 Georgia Jr. Market Goat Shows held at the Agricenter Oct. 7-8, while the 2022 Georgia Jr. Market Lamb show drew 203 exhibitors who showed 431 lambs Oct. 9.
GFB awarded a total of $18,000 in prize money to the grand champion exhibitors who are: Breeding Beef Heifer - Maddie Dean, Crisp Co.; Breeding Doe - Bailey Williams, Gordon Co.; Breeding Ewe - Abigail Kendrick, Turner Co.; Commercial Dairy Heifer - Rydlee Ponder, Gilmer Co.; Market Barrow - Colby Yarbrough, Jeff Davis Co.; Market Beef Cattle (steer) Luke Mobley, Colquitt Co.; Market Doe - Cheyne Norton, Grady Co.; Market Gilt - Matthew Ferrell, Brooks Co.; Market Lamb - Rachel Hayes, Decatur Co.; and Market Wether - Aly Corzine, Houston Co.
Meet the fall 2022 & winter 2023 GJNLS Grand Champions below.
Market Wether – Aly Corzine, Houston County
Congratulations to Veterans High FFA member Aly Corzine for exhibiting the 2022 Georgia Jr. Grand Champion Market Wether last fall! Georgia Farm Bureau Field Services Director Clay Talton presents the $1,500 prize check to Aly on behalf of Georgia Farm Bureau as show judge Dr. Scott Greiner & Jessie Sellers with the Ga. Jr. Livestock Foundation present show banners.
Photo & article by Jennifer Whittaker
Veterans High School FFA member Aly Corzine won the Georgia Jr. Market Wether Grand Champion prize of $1,500 on Oct. 7, 2022, at the Georgia National Fair. A freshman at the time, Aly won with a Boer cross goat she described as having “a strong skeletal structure and depth of back.” She named her goat Dopey for his large ears and eyes.
Aly, the daughter of Chris and Andrea Corzine of Houston County, has been showing goats for nine years and hogs for about seven years.
“When I was in kindergarten, I told my Dad I wanted to show goats. With my dad’s job of being an ag teacher we would come watch people show goats,” Aly said. “There are so many people who are here working so that all of us students can show. I’m so thankful for all of the help I’ve been given in the nine years I’ve shown.”
In addition to Aly’s goat winning grand champion wether, she also won the 2022 Ga. Jr. Market Wether 9th Grade Showmanship award and was named 2022 Supreme FFA Goat Showman (6th-12th grades) showing the same wether. Aly is now a rising high school sophomore.
Market Doe – Cheyne Norton, Grady County
Congratulations to Grady County 4-H member Cheyne Norton for exhibiting the 2022 Georgia Jr. Grand Champion Market Doe! From right, Georgia Farm Bureau Field Services Dept. Coordinator Haley Darby presents the $1,500 prize check to Cheyne on behalf of Georgia Farm Bureau as show judge Dr. Scott Greiner & Jimmy Youngblood with the Ga. Jr. Livestock Foundation present show banners.
Photo & article by Jennifer Whittaker
Grady County 4-Her Cheyne Norton continued a family tradition when he exhibited the 2022 Georgia Jr. Grand Champion Market Doe to win $1,500 on Oct 8, 2022. His older sister, Lily, won this award in 2020. Cheyne won the grand champion market wether prize in 2021.
The son of Chad and Brandi Norton, Cheyne has been showing livestock for 10 years. He also shows sheep and shows hogs on the county level.
“It’s way less expected this year,” Cheyne said. “It’s great to win, but I just didn’t think I had the goat to do it. Two days before we came to the fair, I was planning on bringing a different goat but decided to bring Judy because she’s bigger.”
That’s Judy as in Big Booty Judy or Thicker Than A Snicker, Cheyne’s two nicknames for his prize-winning doe that he worked with since March 2022.
Cheyne was a sophomore at Cairo High School last fall when he won the award and is now a rising junior.
Market Lamb – Rachel Hayes, Decatur County
Congratulations to Decatur 4-Her Rachel Hayes for showing the 2022 Georgia Jr. Grand Champion Market Lamb last fall! GFB Field Services Director Clay Talton, left, and judge Chase McPhaul, right, present the winning spoils to Rachel.
Photo & article by Jay Stone
After showing sheep seven years, Decatur County 4-Her Rachel Hayes won the 2022 Georgia Jr. Grand Champion Market Lamb prize of $1,000 on Oct. 9, 2022.
“It’s always a goal, of course, but I did not expect this. It was hard work and determination,” Rachel said. “It takes a lot of time and work. I enjoy putting in the work. It gives me something to do. I love the animals. I always have. I love the people I meet doing it. I’ve met so many friends through the livestock industry, and I just love being in the barn.”
The daughter of Brian and Lindsey Hayes, Rachel was a senior at Bainbridge High School last fall and just graduated.
Rachel won the top prize with a black face lamb named Mav, short for Maverick from the movie “Top Gun.”
“We always name our sheep after a movie character,” Rachel said. She started showing lambs after her older brother started.
Breeding Beef Heifer - Maddie Dean, Crisp County
Congratulations to Crisp County 4-H member Maddie Dean for winning the Grand Champion Breeding Heifer award! Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall presents the $2,500 prize as show judge Brigham Stewart of Kansas offers congratulations.
Photo & article by Jennifer Whittaker
After showing livestock for 10 years, Maddie Dean ended her 4-H showing career on a high note by exhibiting the 2023 Georgia Jr. National Grand Champion Breeding Beef Heifer. Maddie won the $2,500 prize with an Angus heifer named Vada on Feb. 24.
As a fourth grader, in her early years of showing, Maddie won the 2015 Georgia Jr. National Grand Champion Market Steer prize with a Shorthorn.
This fall Maddie plans to attend Butler Community College, in Kansas, which awarded her a livestock judging scholarship. She graduated from the Classical Conversations Homeschool program.
The daughter of Ric and Dia Dean of Cordele, Maddie has led the way for younger sisters Maelee and Mary Richard to show cattle at the state show. Their youngest sister, Margo, seven, cheers them on.
The Dean sisters are continuing the family tradition of showing cattle started by their grandfather and dad.
Maddie called showing cattle the “family sport,” as she recollected her dad asking her if she wanted to show years ago when she began.
“Showing is a family lifestyle for us. It’s something my sisters and I can do with our parents,” Maddie said when asked what she enjoys most about showing. “We love showing. It’s changed our lives.”
Breeding Doe - Bailey Williams, Gordon County
Congratulations to Gordon County 4-Her Bailey Williams for showing the Grand Champion Breeding Doe at the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show on Friday, Feb. 24. Georgia Farm Bureau Field Services Director Clay Talton presents Bailey with the $1,000 prize check as show judge Lane Halfmann of Texas presents the trophy.
Photo & article by Jennifer Whittaker
Gordon County 4-Her Bailey Williams has been showing goats for eight years. This year all those years of hard work paid off as she won $1,000 for showing the 2023 Georgia Jr. National Grand Champion Breeding Doe on Feb. 24.
“This is what I’ve been trying to do all these years,” Bailey said after the judge chose her goat as the grand champion.
Bailey, the daughter of Tricia Williams and Kip Williams, who are both ag teachers/FFA advisors, started showing when she was in the first grade. Her sister, Brooke, also shows goats. In fact, the two were both division champions and competed against each other in the grand champion drive. Their older brother, Ben, also showed goats and won the 2018 Georgia Jr. National Grand Champion Market Wether award.
“My favorite part about showing is spending time with my family and the time I spend with the animals getting to know them,” Bailey said. “It’s pretty cool that we’ve kept showing this long.”
When asked what it’s like going up against Brooke in the ring, Bailey answered, “It makes me work a little harder. I felt some pressure, but I had faith in my goat.”
Bailey says the hardest part of showing goats is breaking them in for the show ring and training them to brace.
Bailey said she selected her goat, “Milk Mama” for her muscling and size. “I like goats that are big and stout,” Bailey said. “I also liked the shape of her lemon-shaped head. I just thought it was different.”
Breeding Ewe - Abigail Kendrick, Turner County
Congratulations to Turner County 4-Her Abigail Kendrick for showing the Grand Champion Breeding Ewe at the 2023 Ga. Jr. National Breeding Ewe Show! Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall & GFB 2nd District Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman Stephanie Branch present the $1,000 prize as show judge Clay Weber of Oregon presents the trophy.
Photo & article by Jennifer Whittaker
Turner County 4-Her Abigail Kendrick won $1,000 for showing the 2023 Georgia Junior National Grand Champion Breeding Ewe on Feb. 25. Abigail won with a black-face ewe named “Winnie.” She is the daughter of Dennis and Jenny Kendrick of Sycamore.
When asked what advice she would give younger exhibitors who have yet to make it to the winner’s circle, Abigail said, “It’s not all about winning. Showing is also about all the friends you make along the way. I have friends all over the state as a result of showing.”
Abigail, who was a junior at Crisp County High School in February, has been showing lambs and goats for 12 years. Through the years she’s shown with her older sister, Haley, and younger brother, Jarrett. This was the first year Abigail showed at the state show alone as Haley has graduated and her brother was playing soccer.
Dennis, Abigail’s dad, has been raising show lambs since he showed lambs in the 1980s.
Together the family raise and sale show lambs as Kendrick Club Lambs.
“We just have a passion for it,” Abigail said.
Commercial Dairy Heifer - Rydlee Ponder, Gilmer County
Congratulations to Gilmer County 4-Her Rydlee Ponder for showing the Grand Champion Commercial Dairy Heifer! Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall presents the $1,500 prize check to Rydlee as show judge Kelly Reynolds offers congratulations.
Photo & article by Jennifer Whittaker
Gilmer County 4-Her Rydlee Ponder only started showing dairy heifers last fall before winning the 2023 Georgia Junior National Grand Champion Commercial Dairy Heifer award on Feb. 24 with a red Holstein.
Rydlee, who was a 4th grader at Clear Creek Elementary in February, is the daughter of Jake and Kellie Ponder.
Terri Bushey, a co-worker of Rydlee’s dad, Jake, encouraged the Ponders and Rydlee to try showing. Terri’s husband, Mike, is the FFA advisor at Gilmer County High School, and their children Octavia and Michael have shown dairy heifers for several years. This is the second red Holstein to win the grand champion prize that came from cows that Octavia, who graduated high school in 2022, bred and raised as part of her FFA.
Of her red Holstein heifer, Rydlee said, “She was a little hard to halter break and train, but after a week she was good. She’s a very calm calf.”
Rydlee said what she likes about showing is bonding with the heifers and the experience of traveling to livestock shows, getting the heifers ready to show and the thrill of competing in the ring.
In addition to Rydlee showing the grand champion heifer, Gilmer County FFA members Cecelia Miller showed the Reserve Champion Dairy Heifer, and Jack Keener’s heifer took third place honors. All three students worked together in preparing their heifers. Gilmer County FFA advisors Michael Bushey, David Bushey and Shelby Merrell worked with the students to teach them how to show and care for their heifers.
Rydlee received $1,500 for showing the grand champion commercial dairy heifer.
Market Barrow - Colby Yarbrough, Jeff Davis County
Colby Yarbrough of Jeff Davis High School, right, won the Grand Champion Market Barrow prize. Presenting the prize check are, from left, Georgia Farm Bureau Field Services Specialist Haley Darby, GFB First Lady Jane McCall and show judge Jason Corya.
Photo & article by Jay Stone
Maybe it’s not surprising that Colby Yarbrough came through to win grand champion in the Market Barrow competition at the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show on Feb. 24. His grandmother, Nita McLeod, was an agriculture teacher.
Colby has been around livestock all his life, and when Nita brought pigs around, it seemed natural that he’d show them.
“She influenced it, and ever since then it’s just been on the go,” said Colby, a 10th grader who now trains under Jeff Davis High School FFA advisors Courtney Hester and Cody Herndon.
What is surprising, Colby said, is how challenging it is.
“It’s surprising how actually hard it is,” he said, noting that swine are not the most compliant of animals. “Driving the pigs. Training them. I mean, they’re pigs.”
Colby found a winning combination with his Hamp Cross Red Man, so called because of the ginger hue of his coat.
Even without the championship ribbon, belt buckle, trophy and banner, Colby said he values the relationships he’s built with other exhibitors in his 13 years showing pigs.
“Number one are your friends and people you meet showing livestock,” he said. “We have a little group. The grand championship means a lot, because ever since I’ve been old enough to know you could be a grand champion, I’ve worked hard for it, every day, walking pigs. Going out there, working.”
Colby received $1,500 for showing the grand champion barrow. He is the son of Ryan & Lisa Yarbrough of Hazlehurst.
Market Beef Cattle (steer) Luke Mobley, Colquitt County
Congratulations to Colquitt County FFA member Luke Mobley for showing the 2023 Georgia Junior National Market Beef Show Grand Champion winner! Luke won the award showing a Chi-Influence steer. Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall presents the $5,000 prize as show judge Kevin Jensen of Kansas presents the trophy.
Photo & article by Jennifer Whittaker
Colquitt County FFA member Luke Mobley exhibited the Chi-Influence steer that won the 2023 Georgia Junior National Market Beef Cattle Grand Champion prize of $5,000 on Feb. 25. Luke previously won this award in 2016 as a fourth grader with a Chi-Charolais-Maine Anjou & Angus crossbred steer. He is the son of Mike and Torina Mobley of Moultrie.
When asked how it felt to return to the winner’s circle as a grand champion seven years later as a veteran exhibitor, Luke answered, “It’s definitely exciting. I’m glad to be back here.”
Luke says what he enjoys most about showing is training, conditioning and feeding out the cattle to get them competitive for the show ring. He worked with his steer, which he named “Joey” after the Friends character, since spring of 2022. He said he got the steer’s weight up to about 1,380 pounds.
Luke is the third of his brothers to win grand champion awards at the Georgia Junior National. Two of Luke’s brothers also won the market steer grand champion award. His brother Jonathan won in 2007 followed by their brother Nicholas in 2011. Jonathan also won the grand champion breeding heifer award in 2012.
Market Gilt - Matthew Ferrell, Brooks County
Congratulations to Brooks County FFA member Matthew Ferrell for showing the Grand Champion Market Gilt at the 2023 Ga. Jr. National Market Gilt Show! Georgia Farm Bureau Field Services Specialist Haley Darby presents the $1,500 prize check while show judge Jason Corya offers congratulations.
Photo & article by Jennifer Whittaker
Brooks County FFA member Matthew Ferrell ended his FFA showing career with a bang on Feb. 25! Not only did Matthew show the 2023 Ga. Jr. National Market Grand Champion Market Gilt, but he also won the 2023 12th grade Market Hog Showmanship award with his winning crossbred hog, Bentley, and was named the 2023 Supreme FFA Market Hog Showmanship winner.
Last year Matthew won the 2022 Ga. Jr. National Grand Champion Market Barrow award.
The son of Ben and Jennifer Ferrell of Quitman, Matthew has shown pigs for 12 years. Although his parents raise beef cattle, Matthew was drawn to showing hogs.
“I just have a passion for showing hogs,” Matthew said. “They’re just an animal that has always had my interest. I’d like to start my own herd of show pigs one day.”
Matthew received $1,500 for showing the grand champion gilt.
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