Despite not securing grand champion in the three shows he participated in at the Eddy County Fair, Sam Fodge still took home reserve grand champion in all of them.
Show participation and awards
Fodge, 17, started the fair with the Prospect Yearling class at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 22. He took part in halter, trail, showmanship and lunging with his two yearlings, Pet and Stewie. Later in the day, he showed in the 2-Year-Old Futurity with his horse, Brock, at 2 p.m. He capped off the fair with the Market Cattle Show with his steer, Shaq, at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 23. All events took place at the Eddy County Fairgrounds.
The 4-H and FFA Awards Presentation was held at 2 p.m. Friday, July 24. Fodge won the reserve grand market steer buckle, champion senior market steer showmanship buckle, high point senior open show buckle, reserve grand prospect yearling, prospect yearling showmanship buckle and reserve champion 2-year-old buckle.
Fodge said he is happy with the way he performed in the shows.
“I am very proud of the success that I had at the fair in every show,” Fodge said. “My family, friends and I worked hard to get there, and I was happy to finish in the top two in every show.”
Fodge went up against many of his friends at the fair. He said it was both fun and difficult.
“It’s really challenging to compete against your friends because you want to do well, but you also want them to perform well,” Fodge said.
Judging point of view
Fodge judged the Booster Show at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 25, alongside his friend Gracen Kuykendall. Fodge said it was great seeing the youth compete against each other, and he can’t wait to see them progress through the years.
Auctioning of livestock
The 4-H and FFA Junior Livestock Auction took place at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Shaq sold for $14,000, and Pet sold for $18,000.
Fodge said the work he put in to get ready for the fair was beneficial.
“All the work that I put in before the fair really paid off,” Fodge said. “It’s very rewarding to see your name at the top of the shows.”
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.