Shenandoah Shamrocks club members receive awards at fairs

As summer comes to a close, state and county fairs are in full swing. Both present opportunities for youth to show livestock and exhibit 4-H projects and produce from area farms and gardens. A 4-H Club from Jefferson County is standing tall with award winners in a number of categories at the Jefferson County Fair and the West Virginia State Fair.
Members of the Shenandoah Shamrocks 4-H Club distinguished themselves at the West Virginia State Fair which ran August 10-18. Miranda Dodson won the Grand Champion Steer award and her steer was purchased by the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs. McKayla Dodson placed fourth in the goat competition; Anna Ours placed fourth and eighth in the swine competition; and Montana Silveous received a sixth and eighth place finish in the lamb competition. These members did a great job representing the club and Jefferson County!
The Jefferson County Fair celebrated its 60th year in 2012 and several members of the Shenandoah Shamrocks 4-H Club received awards:
In the beef department,, Mikey Benner earned third place Senior Showmanship; McKayla Dodson took second place Junior Showmanship, Reserve Champion Feeder Calf (Open), and Reserve Champion Feeder Calf (Youth). Miranda Dodson won Grand Champion Market Steer; Jenna Everhart won second place Novice Showmanship and Hunter Williams took third place Novice Showmanship.
In the fiber department Amber Legowik earned first Senior Showmanship while Tamarra Legowik achieved Shepherd’s Award, Supreme Champion Youth, and Reserve Champion Youth.

The club did well in the meat goats department as McKayla Dodson earned Grand Champion Market Goat, first place Junior Showmanship, third place Rate of Gain, Yearling Reserve Champion Boar Goat (Open), Yearling Reserve Champion Boar Goat (Youth), and Premier Youth Exhibitor Junior.
In the poultry department Tamarra Legowik won Best Single 4-H Fowl and Best Poultry in Youth Department and Teddy Legowik had the Best Rooster.
In the sheep department McKayla Dodson earned first place Junior Showmanship and Premier Youth Exhibitor while Brandon Mansfield took second place Junior Showmanship and Montana Silveous earned first place Novice Showmanship Sweepstakes Award and Chloe Constantino took honors with the JP Burns Jr Sweepstakes Award (Girl).
The group also did well in the swine department as Mikey Benner earned second place Herdsman’s Youth and Rate of Gain; Payton Benner earned first place Open Class Boar; Emily Hott took First Novice Showmanship: Matt Hott garnered the Grand Champion Market Hog, Champion Female Breeding Swine, first place Youth Class Gilt, Premier Youth Exhibitor, Junior Showmanship, and Second Place Herdsman’s Open and Anna Ours rounded it out with first place Herdsman’s Open and Reserve Champion Female Breeding Swine.
Across the fairgrounds in the Youth Department Mary DeWees earned first place Decorated Cupcakes and Rabbits with the most blue ribbons, including Senior Showmanship and Best Overall Showmanship.Tyler Donley received a blue ribbon on Entomology 4-H Project and Ksusha Lowry Neufeld honored in Horticulture with a second place for yellow tomatoes and watermelon, third place for okra and a blue ribbon for Vegetable Gardening 4-H Project
In other Fair news, club member Jenna Everhart was chosen as Junior Miss Jefferson County Fair. The Club won a blue ribbon for its Vegetable Produce Box and another first place in the Barrel Painting Competition with the theme “Blooms of Jefferson County.” The club sends its sincere thanks to Kable Realty for being the winning bidder on the club’s entry in the Fair Bake Sale Auction — a delicious selection of homemade breads and jams. This generous donation will be used to support the Club’s ongoing community service projects.
This was a very successful Fair season for Club members, and we hope everyone came out and supported and enjoyed the Jefferson County Fair! Barbara Dodson, Shenandoah Shamrocks 4-H Club Leader, can be contacted via email at bdodson1013@frontiernet.net.