Evangeline Parish 4-H & FFA youth participated in the 73rd Annual LSU AgCenter 4-H and FFA Livestock Show Feb. 9-16 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.
To qualify for the state show, the competitors had to first participate in parish and district livestock shows across Louisiana. At the state show, which is sponsored by the LSU AgCenter, more than 3,000 young people competed with more than 6,000 animals, according to the LSU AgCenter Livestock Show office.
This year's show was dedicated to Louisiana 4-H, which is celebrating 100 years of providing the state’s youth with leadership development communication and character education programs.
Louisiana 4-H is an educational program of the LSU AgCenter and is part of the U.S. department of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service, which operates in all 50 states and U.S. territories. 4-H is the youth development and outreach program of the nation’s land-grant university system.
Judges at the LSU AgCenter Livestock Show determined 2008 state champions in various breeds of beef and dairy cattle, goats, hogs, poultry and sheep.
Although the event showcases examples of the state’s important livestock industries, LSU AgCenter administrators say it is about much more than that.
“This show is much more about recognizing champion young people than it is about naming champion animals,” said Dr. Bill Richardson, chancellor of the LSU AgCenter. “Every youngster who participated in this show is a champion because of the dedication, skills and knowledge they’ve demonstrated by caring for their animals.”
Dr. Paul Coreil, LSU AgCenter vice chancellor, said the livestock show demonstrates some of the best qualities of the state and the AgCenter’s programs.
“What we get to see here is the result of years of hard work on the part of these 4-H and FFA members,” Coreil said. “But we also see the support of parents, teachers, volunteer leaders and others who helped them along the way.”
This year’s top winners from Evangeline Parish were:
Market Goats
Division III Reserve Champion Market Goat – Lainey Soileau, Sacred Heart 4-H
4th Place Market Goat Parish Group Competition – Evangeline Parish
Breeding Goats
Champion Purebred Boer Buck– Samuel Monier, Sacred Heart 4-H
Reserve Champion Purebred Boer Buck- Isaac Deshotel, Sacred Heart 4-H
Champion Purebred Boer Female—Kaitlyn Guillory, Member at Large 4-H
Reserve Champion Louisiana-bred Purebred Boer Female–Tanner Ardoin, Vidrine 4-H
1st Place Purebred Boar Goat Parish Group Competition – Evangeline Parish
Breeding Beef
Reserve Champion Louisiana-bred Brangus Bull –Michael Santora, Sacred Heart
Champion and Champion La. Bred Brangus Heifer – Jonathan Fontenot, Sacred Heart 4-H
Reserve Champion Brangus Heifer –Lauren Parrott, Sacred Heart 4-H
Champion and Champion La. Bred Simbrah Heifer– Marcus Guillory, Vidrine 4-H
Reserve Champion Simbrah Heifer – Zachary Darbonne, Sacred Heart 4-H
1st Place Parish Brangus Cattle Group Competition – Evangeline Parish
Overall Champion Brangus Showmanship—Allison Deshotel, Sacred Heart 4-H
Breeding Dairy
Grand Champion and Grand Champion Louisiana-bred Guernsey –Allison Fusilier, Sacred Heart 4-H.
Reserve Grand Champion Guernsey –Robert Fusilier, Sacred Heart 4-H.
Reserve Grand Champion La. Bred Guernsey—Allison Fusilier, Sacred Heart 4-H
Sr. Champion and Sr. Champion La. Bred Guernsey-Allison Fusilier, Sacred Heart 4-H
Reserve Sr. Champion Guernsey- Robert Fusilier, Sacred Heart 4-H
Jr. Champion and Jr. Champion La. Bred Yearling Guernsey--Allison Fusilier, Sacred Heart 4-H
Overall Jr. Champion and Reserve Overall Jr. Champion La. Bred Guernsey—Allison Fusilier, Sacred Heart 4-H