It was a big gamble…The hours put in, effort exerted and expenses shelled out…all for the chance to win. Stock show competition was not easy, but for the student exhibiters, winning was the payoff.

For sophomore Zeth Henson, competing in stock shows is second nature as are the preparations put into the show.

“You have to feed twice a day, get up every day at 5:30 in the morning, and work with them [the animals] in the afternoon,” Henson said. “It’s a four-hour process every day.”

Senior Keithen Hughes always wanted to show animals, and once he got started, he began competing for a bigger goal–college money.

“I was little, and I always told my dad I wanted to to show, so he got me started,” Hughes said. “I like it but I’m tired because it’s a lot of work and time consuming.”

Although the competitors spend countless hours with their animals, they have learned not to get attached.

“They used to be like pets,” senior Jenna Johnson said. “After you have to give them up, you learn to distance yourself.”

Johnson, who began showing in second grade, is relying on her lambs, goats and pigs to take the local show.

Henson had his hopes on Moneybags, a lamb that he bought in May that cost him $4,500. While Moneybags is his favorite, Henson does not give any animal special treatment.

“Treats are bad for them,” Henson said. “If you’re training for the Olympics, you have to have a specific diet to win.”

The animals also go through their share of training for the competition.

“You have to make them drive or show their muscles so the judges can see,” Johnson said. “They have to stay still for the show; we have techniques…hold their ears, know where to put their leg, walk them with one hand. You have to have good showmanship.”

For sophomore Bryce Winfrey, the 12-month process of preparing animals can come down to one competition.

“Twelve months lead up to this hour and a half,” Winfrey said. “You go in, show, and just hope that you get pulled. Winning results in scholarship money and money for your animals. Then you start the process all over again.”

Henson believes all the hard work pays off at the show. He has confidence in his process and his animals.

“A lot of money, time and effort went into it,” Henson said. “We should do really well. We do a better job of feeding and buying animals.”

Results of Gaines County Livestock Show

The grand champions were sophomore Cameron Foote who showed a barrow and sophomore Bryce Winfrey who showed a goat.

The reserve champions were junior Joden Williams in the rabbit show, senior Jenna Johnson in the goat show and freshman Bailey Hughes in the gilt show.

Rabbit Show–Class 601–Joden Williams took first, second and fourth.

Gilt Show–Class 800–junior Kelby Anderson took fourth and senior Keithen Hughes took sixth; Class 801–Anderson took first and sophomore Maggie Savage took third; Class 802–freshman Madolyn Karr took third and sophomore Megan Latta took fifth; Class 804–freshman Kaley Johnson took first, freshman Cheyenne Millican took third, senior DaniJo Quisenberry took fourth and Karr took fifth; Class 805–Foote took second and Kaley Johnson took fourth; Class 806–Anderson took first and Keithen Hughes took third; Class 807–Foote took first 7; Class 808–freshman Hannah Cagle took second and Quisenberry took fourth; Class 809–Karr took second; Class 810–Foote took first, Keithen Hughes took third and Savage took fourth and fifth; Class 812–Jenna Johnson took first, Bailey Hughes took second and Cagle took sixth; Class 813–Bailey Hughes took first, Millican took second, Savage took fourth and Anderson took fifth; Class 814–and junior Jonathan Brown took third.

Barrow show–Class 101–Latta took second in class 101; Class 103–Joden Williams took first; Class 104–sophomore Zeth Henson took second; Class 108–freshman Chason Williams took third and Cagle took fourth; Class 109–Henson took first and Bailey Hughes took second; Class 110–Karr took third; Class 112–Henson took second; Class 113–Chason Williams took first; Class 115–Foote took first.

Goat Show–Class 301–Winfrey took first and Chason Williams took second; Class 303–Chason Williams took first, sophomore Chantz Pack took second and Joden Williams took sixth; Class 304–Jenna Johnson took first and Millican took second; Class 305–Jenna Johnson took first.