Fair Exhibit Hall, livestock winners told

It was another outstanding year for the 4H/FFA Livestock Shows in the Exhibit Hall at the 2024 Neshoba County Fair.

This year, the Exhibit Hall displayed the talents of 56 adult exhibitors and 95 youth exhibitors, with a total of 2,617 exhibits. The hall was packed with impressive works from individuals across the county.

The top five Adult Blue Ribbon Winners were Blake Kennedy, Becky Sims, Mallory Duke, Mike Sims, and Darrel Snow, while the top five Youth Blue Ribbon Winners included Mary Kate Gray, Avery Goldman, Emma Jackson, Kaden Sims, and Addy Ruth Goldman.

In the Adult Exhibit Hall, Best of Show honors went to Mallory Duke for her hot peppers in the food preservation category, Cathy Smith for her blueberries in the fresh fruits category, Blake Kennedy for his banana pepper in the fresh vegetables category, Tommy Dearing for his pumpkin in the field crop category, and Bianca Duncan, who won for both her quilt and themed quilt.

Tommy Dearing, who won Best of Show for his pumpkin, said he found pumpkin seeds from 1970 that belonged to his wife Wendy’s grandfather and planted them this year.

“Every year, I plant and pray for it. God does the work,” Dearing said. “This pumpkin was totally organic, no fertilizer or anything. It grew that pretty naturally.”

Dearing said his wife made two pumpkin pies from the pumpkin, which they enjoyed at a Sunday dinner with her parents. He also grows watermelon, using seeds from Williamsville, broadcasting them in a sandy spot before praying over them. 

“I wouldn’t have won Best of Show if God didn’t want me to,” Dearing said. “It’s kind of mind-boggling, and I still haven’t fully soaked it in.”

In the Youth Exhibit Hall, Best of Show awards went to Kaden Sims for his corn in the field crop category, Mary Kate Gray for her lima beans in the food preservation category, Dylan Kennedy for his ripe tomato in the fresh fruits and vegetables category, and Lynn Katherine Smith for her Dolly Parton scrapbook in the cultural arts category.

Dylan Kennedy, a 15-year-old sophomore at Neshoba Central, has been entering produce in the Exhibit Hall his whole life. His family maintains a 30-acre garden where they grow squash, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes. 

Regarding his Best of Show-winning ripe tomato, Kennedy said they started the seeds in a plug house until they germinated in the dirt, then moved them to another house that he says is perfect for tomatoes and other produce. 

“I was really happy about winning it this year,” Kennedy said. “It showed off most of my hard work.” 

Kennedy encourages other young farmers to start small and gradually expand their crops, and said he plans to continue participating in the Exhibit Hall for years to come.

The top three poster winners were Ivy Kait Copland, who won first place for her ornamental flowers, Mary Kate Gray, who won second place for her seed collection, and Colt Robinson, who took third place for his citizenship poster.

Competition was tough in the livestock arena, with 63 4H/FFA exhibitors from across the state showcasing 136 animals. 

This year’s entries included 42 beef animals, 12 dairy goats, 65 dairy cows, 13 goats, and eight sheep. Several businesses also sponsored belt buckles for the showmanship winners in each age division.

In the Beef show, Neshoba County 4-H’ers Caleb French, Chase Cockerham, Cash Cockerham, Carter Cockerham, Jagger Stephens, Paislie Reid, and Abbey Breedlove excelled in the ring, taking home numerous awards. 

Breedlove took home the Grand Champion Commercial Heifer title, while French won Grand Champion Santa Gertrudis Bull, Best of Show Bull with his Santa Gertrudis Bull, and Reserve Champion Santa Gertrudis Heifer. 

Stephens won the Grand Champion Santa Gertrudis Heifer title and placed in the top three for Best of Show with his Santa Gertrudis Heifer, and Cockerham took home the Reserve Champion Brahman Heifer title.

In the Dairy Show, Landon Beason won first place in the 16-18-year-old Showmanship class. Beason also won Grand Champion in Commercial Dairy and both Grand and Reserve Grand Champion in the Senior division of the Junior Dairy Show. Additionally, he received the James Moore Memorial Award for Best of Show Dairy Cow.

The Pretty Cow Contest remains a highlight of the Fair, drawing in large crowds with its creativity and promotional flair. This year’s participants did not disappoint, with entries ranging from “Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Dairy is the Fairest of Them All” to “Dairy Cow Dreams - If You Milk Her, They Will Come.”

For next year, families with youth ages eight and older who are interested in showing livestock are encouraged to contact the MSU Extension-Neshoba County office at (601) 656-4011 for more information.