THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9408250158
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: COURTLAND LENGTH: Long : 116 lines
IT IS A LITTLE like a Miss America contest. The participants are groomed to look their best, the judges eye them carefully - then, there are the ribbons.
But that's where the comparison ends. These are four-legged contestants - the cattle, hogs and lambs starring in the Franklin-Southampton County Fair's 4-H Livestock & Poultry Show and Sale.
The animals were auctioned last weekend. By this weekend, they are history.
The boys and girls who raised the animals have memories and money.
``I got into this because it's fun and there's a lot of money,'' said David Rosie. ``And, it's something I like to do.''
The 9-year-old Carrsville boy, the youngest participant in the show and sale, does not live on a working farm but has a place for the animals.
He saw his lamb disappear at auction.
``I'll miss him a little bit,'' David said. ``I wouldn't raise it just for the money.''
Some of the children stay emotionally detached from their animals, but for some they are like pets.
``I call my lamb Freckles because he has little dots on his face,'' said 10-year-old Ashley Jones. ``I got attached to it.''
The animal-loving Southampton Academy student will put her money in the bank. ``I want to be a vet,'' she said.
``Next year, I'll also have hogs.''
There were 71 hogs in the show and sale, exhibited by 18 children. Twenty-four boys and girls had 37 lambs.
After that the numbers evened up - 10 children with 10 steers and four with four heifers.
``We had the same number of kids participating this year,'' said Richard Simms, a Livestock Committee member, ``but we had more animals.''
The animals let their presence be known at the fair with a constant mix of baaaas, moos, clucks and grunts.
The sounds and smells are nothing new to the youngsters involved, most of whom are, like the animals, farm-raised.
``I hope to continue farming when I'm older,'' said Jess Williams, 16, of Pine Pasture Farms in Suffolk. ``I've been doing it all my life. It's in my blood.''
It keeps him busy.
``Farm chores - about three hours a day. This summer I worked all day. I work for my dad. It's a seven-day work week.''
Jess rattled off the list of chores: Picking crops, planting crops, cutting grain, doing mechanical work.
``My favorite thing is running the combine,'' he said. ``My least favorite is cleaning the pens.''
But that is the one that pays off when he brings his hogs and steers to the show and sale.
``This,'' Jess said, ``is my seventh year.''
It is the 14th year for the Franklin-Southampton County event.
These types of auctions are still popular. Chesapeake and Virginia Beach go at it in a big way, Isle of Wight County has had hog shows for a number of years and will go into lambs later this month during a revival of its county fair.
A show and sale will be held Saturday in Greensville County.
The Southampton County fair ``is more 4-H oriented,'' Simms said.
Two of the young people involved are Simms' son, 18-year-old Chris, of Sedley, and his 14-year-old sister, Sara.
``The best thing about farming is being outside,'' Chris Simms said. ``The worst thing is the long hours. I do a lot of my work on weekends because, during the week, I do a lot of sports.''
A student at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, Chris is studying agricultural business. ``I want to work for a chemical dealership, or work my own farm.''
He raises hogs and steers - preferring the former, which helped him achieve Grand Champion status in 1991 and 1992 and Reserved Champion last year.
The awards were for pens of four rather than individual animals.
Chris' father explains the success succinctly.
``You have to start off with good hogs, then look after them well and keep the feeder full.''
The benches in the stockyard arena were full as the animals were put up for auction.
Family and friends watched and listened to see how the children's efforts paid off, literally.
Buyers represent companies in the areas involved in the show and sale - Southampton, Isle of Wight, Surry, Sussex and Greensville counties.
The bottom line is that the animals, lovingly and carefully raised, are a cash crop. MEMO: Judson Alphin, 12, of Zuni, was the top participant in the show and
sale. He had the Grand Champion hog, Grand Champion pen of hogs and
Grand Champion steer. Brooke Williams, 13, of Suffolk had the Grand
Champion lamb.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
David Rosie of Carrsville gets his lamb ready to show at the county
fair, held in the Franklin Agriculture and Civic Center.[color cover
photo]
Youngsters, above, watch from the top of the weighing station as the
hogs go through the process. Below, Scott Tacker, left, and his
brother, Larry, get their porkies ready. The Tackers are from Manor
Farms in Smithfield.
Jesse Williams trims his son Jess's entry in the livestock
competition. Father and son are from the Pine Pasture Farm in
Suffolk.
Catfish? To be sure. The farm-raised fish were on display in the
exhibition building.
Leah Alphin of Zuni waits for the weight competition in the 4-H
Livestock & Poultry Show and Sale. After the contest, the animals
were auctioned.
by CNB