Marshall Mecham
Fodge prepares livestock for the 81st Eddy County Fair
The 81st annual Eddy County Fair is set for July 21–25, and 17‑year‑old Samuel Fodge has spent the past year preparing his livestock for show week.
Fodge will compete in the Market Steer and Yearling shows. He also serves on the Junior Fairboard, where he helps encourage youth participation in planning and running the fair.
Steer preparation
Fodge credited many people who have helped him work with his steers, including David and Beth Conklin; Justen, Tara, Tatum and Taylin Colwell; Misti, Kambry and Layton Grantham; and his mother, Sally.
“We pull the steer out at 8 p.m. to wash and cool them down each night,” Fodge said. “We like to do it for about 10 minutes after rinsing until it really gets down to that hair. In the mornings, we work with them at 5 a.m. and repeat the same process.”
Samuel Fodge is getting ready for the fair.
Yearling preparation
Fodge said he prepares his yearlings multiple times a week with a large group of exhibitors, using pressure‑and‑release training.
“On Mondays and Thursdays, I’m part of a yearling group practice,” Fodge said. “We usually meet around 5:30 p.m. and work as late as we need to, even if that means midnight. We’re a big group from Eddy County, but other counties are more than welcome to join us too.”
Training differences
Fodge said the training approach for steers and yearlings differs significantly.
“Working with the horses includes a lot of pressure and release,” Fodge said. “With the steers, I can pull them around to teach them the lead, which is something I can’t do with the horses.”
Remembering his father
Fodge said he loves working with livestock, even though the preparation can be stressful. He said he pushes through the hard days because of the inspiration he draws from his late father, Samuel Paul Fodge Jr.
Marshall Mecham covers sports for the Artesia Daily Press. He can be reached at (915) 232-1793 or on X @mecham_marshall. Mecham serves with the New Mexico Local News Fellowship, which places emerging journalists in newsrooms across the state. Learn more at www.newmexicolocalnewsfellowships.org.