Bill Jones, far right, of Buncombe County had the grand champion steer in the 2012 Junior Livestock Show.
Each year, youth from across North Carolina bring their best livestock to the fair with hopes of taking home the grand prize. To get to that point, though, kids work countless hours at home preparing the animals for the show ring.
Getting livestock ready to show is a little like an athlete training for competition, with junior competitors having to serve as groomer, nutritionist, exercise trainer, genetic selector and more to raise the animal to its highest potential. It is hard work preparing livestock for a show, and it is even harder getting these market animals to the standards of state champions.
The Sale of Champions will include the champion, reserve champion, and N.C. born-and-bred market steer, market lamb, market wether, market barrow and turkey. The sale will be held in the Jim Graham Building today at 11 a.m. A Parade of Champions will follow the sale at 1 p.m. The top animals will be paraded from the Jim Graham Building to the State Fair Ark located in the Exposition Center. Come be a part of this new event.
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