Local hay show raises more than $21,000 earmarked for ag scholarships

JACKSONVILLE – An Oct. 26 hay show and auction conducted at the Cherokee County Exposition Center in Jacksonville raised more than $21,000 in sponsorships and auction proceeds, said organizers.

The Grand Champion Bale from producer Jerry Scruggs fetched $800 from Heritage Land Bank – Tyler Branch, while the Reserve Champion Bale – from producer Wade McKnight – was purchased by Cherokee Warehouse for $575.

A total of 27 bale samples submitted to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Soil, Water and For-age Testing Laboratory in College Station earlier this year were named blue-ribbon quality, said Jennifer Crowley, office manager of the Cherokee County AgriLife Extension Office in Rusk.

Samples are ranked by the amount of crude protein in the hay, this year ranging from Scruggs sample (16.88 percent crude protein) and McKnight’s sample of 14.16 percent crude protein, to Kyle McKnight’s sample with 10.02 percent crude protein.

During the event, different groups also were recognized.

Top Buyers for the 2020 Hay show included Tri-County Livestock Market, Steeles Feed and Seed, Steeles Fertilizer Service, Cherokee Warehouse, Fish and Still Equipment – Nacogdoches, Heritage Land Bank – Nacogdoches, Lowe Tractor and Equipment, Heritage Land Bank – Palestine, Wayne Berry, Heritage Land Bank – Tyler, Techline and Austin Bank.

Top 4-H and FFA Teams and individuals also were recognized for hay judging during the dinner.

“We had around 100 kids from our County 4-H Clubs and FFA Chapters come judge samples in the County Hay Judging Contest,” said County AgriLife Extension ag agent Aaron Low. “The High Point Individuals (Zach King, Rusk FFA and Kara Wofford, Bluebonnet 4-H), were recognized and will each receive $1,000 scholarships. The Top Three Teams in 4-H and FFA were also recognized: First place 4-H Team was Bluebonnet 4-H members were Kara Wofford, Jackson Dowling, Jacob Dowling and Cody Rueter, while the second place Team 4-H Team was Cloverleaf 4-H, with members Halle Duplichain, Mary Goff, Eli Middleton and Makenzie Low. The third place 4-H team was Cloverleaf 4-H – Isaack Weatherford, Mason Holmes, Brianna Low and Bailey Garner.”

Low said that 100 percent of the funds raised from the auction go to scholarships for youth that are involved in 4-H and FFA in Cherokee County.
“The Committee has awarded more than $225,000 in scholarships to our county youth, with 100 percent of the funds generated through this event,” he said. “Most of our buyers and supporters participated in 4-H and FFA when they were younger, and this is a way that they can give back and support today’s generation of youth participants.”