Chester County welcomed a sizeable crowd to the new Agriculture Center for the first annual Chester County Showdown, Aug. 8-9, at the fairgrounds on East Fourth Street in Henderson.
With 164 youth competitors from across Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, the weekend’s livestock exhibition featured 29 head of cattle, 79 goats and 228 sheep – a significant turnout, by all accounts. From judge to bystander to volunteer or competitor, all agreed attendance was impressive from every angle, especially for the sheep show.
Paul Jones, event organizer, said he believed the turnout was due to a number of things, specifically noting connections as much as timing. Jones said he and his co-organizer and girlfriend, Layla Adams both showed livestock, sheep and goats, respectively. Aging out of the youth program recently, the two shifted their focus from traveling for shows to building an opportunity for others, right here in Chester County. Jones and Adams shared their plans among those they know in the livestock industry and word quickly spread, garnering wide-spread support and plans to attend. “It was amazing,” he said, “how quickly it (news) traveled!” One competitor traveled 3.5 hours from Coffee County, Tennessee.
As for timing, the weekend’s show provided the perfect transition into the fall showing season, as summer shows have waned and county fairs will be starting soon. Jones said many will be traveling to show livestock at the Obion County Fair in just a few days.
Jones continued to say the Showdown’s success is largely due to the community’s support. “It would not have been possible without sponsors,” Jones said. “Chester county really showed up and showed out with sponsors for our year one starter. “We were humbled by it, so grateful and humbled, seeing that dream come true just really blows me away. The community support was one of the biggest morale boosters that you could have.
“Layla and I wanted to give Chester County the chance to experience a livestock show like every other county gets to have, and when I walked out of the show ring last fall for the last time as a junior exhibitor, I wanted to give other Chester County exhibitors a chance at something I never had.
“It was the community support from not only sponsors but county officials, business owners, people with no ties to livestock at all showed up just to come see what two 19-year-olds had dreamed of.”
In addition to the community’s positive response to the Showdown itself, Chester County FFA earned their own piece of success. Concessions were provided by FFA, with 100% of their proceeds going back into the FFA program. “I can’t brag on them enough for all they did,” Jones said of FFA contributors, planning and implementing the concessions menu. “From start to finish, Stephanie Hatch and Teresa Crouse stayed on top of things.”
If you missed this year’s Showdown, Jones said they are already planning for next year. “We hope to continue this for years and years to come.”
Hadley Lawrimore, of Alabama, shows her 15-month-old Brahman bull, Versey, Friday evening at the Chester County Fairgrounds on East Fourth Street. Youth competitors trailered livestock in from across Tennessee and neighboring states, filling the Ag Center with cattle, sheep and goats for the first annual Chester County Showdown over the weekend. See page 2-A or log on to www.chestercountyindependent.com for more photos from the Showdown.
Photo by Holly Roeder, Independent
