Hot news from South Carolina. Heat hits and we don’t mean in the cows. Temperatures have been in the 90’s to 100’s with no rain. We are glad we had rain in the spring because it is too dry now.
“The show must go on,” as heard in the big top. The show for SC Angus always means Angus shows. The Angus people might dispute the braggadocio of the motto “the greatest show on earth” by the circus folk. In the Angus world the greatest show would be the National Junior Angus Show. South Carolina will be represented by several junior members at the National Junior Angus Show in Denver on July 12-17, 2010. The SC juniors will compete in many events but are not taking their cattle. The long distance ride in the heat would be too stressful on the Angus heifers not to mention the drivers. Cory Watt, Sally, Drake and Corbin Yon are the lucky juniors who will travel to Denver to be a part of the greatest Angus show in the world They will compete in the National Junior Angus Show by participating in the Livestock Judging, the Team Sales, and the Quiz Bowl.
During June South Carolina had juniors at the Eastern Regional Junior Angus Show. Five juniors made the trip to Illinois – Teddi Steadman, Breann Steadman, Tripp Bourne, Cory Watt and Carly Watt. Breann and Carly both made the cut in showmanship to compete for the top honors. One more South Carolinian made her appearance there without her cows. Sally Yon, serving as the American Angus Queen, was helping with the show activities. She helped present the awards to the winning juniors.
Breann Steadman’s CJ Forever Lady 9149 was Reserve Late Heifer Calf Champion. Her June calf was second in her class. Teddi Steadman’s calf won fourth in her class. Carly Watt had a sixth place with her heifer. Her brother, Cory Watt’s heifer placed fourth place.
Earlier on June 4 in Perry , Georgia, Breann Steadman won Reserve Grand Champion with her heifer., Gambles CJ Forever Lady 6029 at t he 2010 Southern National Junior Angus Show, Breann Steadman of Greenwood, S.C., owns the June 2009 daughter of Gambles Hot Rod. She first won intermediate champion. John Grimes, Hillsboro, Ohio, evaluated the 71 entries. Ted and Judy Bourne of Cedar Creek in Donalds, SC are the grandparents of Breann.
Lydia Yon, one of the SC junior advisors, reported on the SC juniors and their achievements.
“SC Junior Angus members were big winners at the SC FFA Convention held in June. Lauren McGill was named the State Star Farmer for SC! Drake Yon was named the State Winner in Beef Proficiency. Cory Watt and Drake Yon won SC Young Farmer Scholarships for $1000 each. Drake Yon won a National FFA Scholarship as well. Lauren, Cory and Drake all received their State FFA Degrees.
Junior Angus member, Chelsie Goodman, who showed Angus heifers for the past two years, has joined the National Guard and is currently at basic training in Fort Jackson. She plans to attend USC and will get a degree in the medical area. We had a lot of seniors graduate from high school this year - Mary Hall, Lauren McGill, Chelsie Goodman, Drake Yon, and Cory Watt.”
Later, on August 4-5 Cory Watt, Sally and Drake Yon will also attend LEAD in Nashville, On August 14-15 the Junior Beef Round Up will round up kids with all breeds of cattle from SC and adjacent states, converging on Clemson for fun and games and cow shows. After that the fall show season will get into full swing..Schools in South Carolina also begin in August. The graduates will enter the college of their choice, hopefully.
Along with all this junior activity South Carolina has a new showman entering the ring. In the McPhail family Steve and Jessica McPhail gave birth to a son. John Greyson McPhail was born on June 22, 2010 weighing 8 pounds and 2 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long, Jessica gave birth at Spartanburg Regional Hospital at 5 AM, near feeding time on the farm. The grandparents, Jane and Steve McPhail, Sr. of Seneca and Stillwater Cattle Company are looking forward to these grandchildren carrying the McPhail name into the Angus show rings. . The McPhail clan now has a good batch of potential juniors to carry out “the show must go on” for South Carolina juniors.
The Angus industry in South Carolina is proud of the accomplishments of their juniors. The Angus breed is improving in all ways with the genetics and with the youth growing up along with their heifers. Angus shows, the greatest shows on earth, WILL go on with the potential of the Angus breed and the youth.
Thank you to Lydia Yon and Judy Bourne for their help in gathering this information for the news. If you have news or dues($20) for SCAA send c/o Windy Bartee, secretary SCAA, 1717 St. Paul Church Road, Clover, SC 39710 at tumblet8@bellsouth.net or 803-222-7533.
