Special to the Enquirer

Excitement coursed through the Garrett Coliseum grounds in Montgomery March 17-19 as hundreds of youth exhibited livestock in the annual Junior Beef Expo and inaugural Junior Swine Expo.

Alabama Farmers Federation and Alfa Insurance sponsor the events in Montgomery, held in conjunction with the Southeastern Livestock Exposition as Alabama’s livestock show season grand finale.

“If you walk up to the ring, you hear us talking about cattle and hogs,” said Federation and Alfa President Jimmy Parnell. “What we’re really doing is raising young people and teaching them how to take care for things. That applies to most areas of people’s lives. We are investing time and money and effort in these young people, and I think we’ll see benefits down the road from this event.”

During JBE and JSE, youth competed in showmanship contests, where they were judged on their ability to lead, control and present animals while bringing out the hog or calf’s best characteristics. In market and breeding shows, the students’ animals were judged on strength, structure and soundness.

The show concludes months of work for youth and their families. After selecting animals and preparing barns and pens, daily feeding, washing, walking and watering follows.

Morgan County winners included Caden Childers and Mackenzie Hornbuckle.