Blair County 4-H/FFA Livestock Show And Sale Returns

The 2024 Blair County 4-H/FFA Livestock Show and Sale was held Monday and Tuesday at Morrison's Cove Memorial Park. The youth exhibitors spent last week putting the final touches on their project animals, whether it was a goat, rabbit, lamb, dairy beef, pig, or steer – all in preparation to showcase their hard work and dedication in the show ring and to potential buyers at the sale.

The event is the culmination of months of hard work caring for and raising their livestock. The youth showmen purchase their livestock at the beginning of the project year and base their selection on a combination of factors including their financial budget, their personal animal management practices, and the structure and genetics of the animal. The livestock projects are raised for the purpose of meeting market demand and being sold to provide wholesome, nutritious meat products to buyers at the sale.

For Garrison Dibert, this year's show and sale was the last of a fourteen-year livestock-showing career.

"I spent ten years in 4-H and showed another four years through FFA," he said. "I've learned a lot and some of my best memories are from the livestock show. It's bittersweet that this was my last year."

Dibert credits his successes in the livestock ring to a multitude of people.

"My parents and sister obviously have helped me a lot," he said. "Jack and Peggy Mock were influential when I first started as an eight-year-old, helping to teach me how to select, feed, and care for my animals. My 4-H club leaders and FFA advisor Tom Ritchey were a huge help, and all the buyers who supported me by purchasing my animals made each year a success."

4-H is a youth development organization that teaches members responsibility, a work ethic, communication skills, team-building skills, and life skills through joining a 4-H club and undertaking a specific project to learn about and showcase at the end of the project year. 4-H projects can include animal projects like livestock, dairy cattle, and horses, but also include many others like sewing, archery, crafts, robotics, and cake decorating. Dibert describes FFA (Future Farmers of America) as a similar program and credits his public speaking skills and the ability to connect with others to his involvement.

"I graduated high school in 2021 and am now employed at Bedford Farm Bureau Co-op in Curryville," he said. "Since joining the workforce, I've seen how important it is to be able to communicate well and work with others. FFA gave me a multitude of opportunities other than showing livestock. These included land judging, Ag Safety Day, going on farm tours, and Ag Literacy Week."

MiKayla Burket was another exhibitor participating in the livestock show and sale. She spent six years in 4-H but showed her lamb, goat, and steer projects through Central Cove FFA this year. She credits her cousin, Cassandra Michelone, for helping her get started in showing livestock projects.

"I consider her my mentor - I looked up to her as an older showman when I was younger – she did a really good job showcasing her animals and making them look their best, " MiKayla said.

Caring for her animals takes a lot of hard work.

"I have learned a lot about responsibility because my animals rely on me," she said. "I'm out with them every day feeding them and making sure they always have a clean pen and fresh, clean water. Keeping up with health records and things like worming and vaccinations are essential too."

The 4-H and FFA exhibitors showcased their animals in type class, meaning the results of the class are based solely on how the animal looks. The judge considered their skeletal structure as well as muscling to make his selections for the top of each class and overall Grand Champion, Reserve Champion, and 3rd of show for each species. The kids were also judged on showmanship. Showmanship is the exhibitor's ability to showcase their animal's good points while diminishing their weaker points.

Every kid dreams of leaving the 4-H and FFA Livestock Show and Sale with a Champion banner, but as Dibert says, the life lessons and memories are what is most valuable. "My favorite memory was winning Reserve Grand Champion goat the same year that my sister won Grand Champion with her goat. Winning was cool, but doing it together was what made it special. After all, you win some and you lose some."