Sweet end to show season
Five from Rooks County compete in Kansas Junior Livestock Show
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RYAN MONGEAU had a good contigent of family and friends present during the Kansas Junior Livestock Show held October 1-3. Mongeau won the Grand Champion Market Hog Title with his Dark AOB. Pictured left to right include: Janice Hammond, Zeke Hammond, Michelle Stithem, Dawn Mongeau, Eli Atkisson (in front of Dawn), Ryan Mongeau, Bodye Stithem, Tucker Goss, Noah Goss, and Judge Nathan Peters. -
RYAN MONGEAU, right, thanks Judge Nathan Peters after being named the Grand Champion Market Hog at the Kansas Junior Livestock Show held in Hutchinson. -
ELI ATKISSON of Stockton and his gilt “Page” placed third in the Commercial Breeding Gilt Class at this year’s KJLS held October 1-3. -
BODYE STITHEM of Stockton participated in Intermediate Beef Showmanship and was second in her Simmental Breeding Heifer class at this year’s Kansas Junior Livestock Show in Hutchinson. -
CADY PIEPER of rural Zurich was awarded first-place Hereford Heifer at the KJLS.
There’s nothing more pleasing to a parent than seeing their child happy. And, as is the case with good kids, they love seeing their parents happy as well.
Ryan Mongeau of Stockton, son of Dawn Mongeau and the late Michael Mongeau, accomplished both of those at the 89th Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS) held October 1-3 in Hutchinson. The KJLS is the final show of the year for most of the kids.
Ryan, one of five Rooks County kids competing in the show, guided his Dark AOB to the Grand Champion Market Hog Title, which earned him $2,000. The show was sponsored by Seaboard Foods.
When asked what was going through his mind when down to the final two competitors, Ryan said, “I was thinking , quit being a jerk, ‘Worm’ (the pig’s name), let’s drive!”
Winning the Grand Champion Market Hog at the KJLS was special for Ryan in a number of ways.
“I was excited for Reiss Livestock (the breeder we got the pig from). They are good friends and when I win, they win too,” he said.
“It was nice to see my hard work amount to something big,” he added.
Kasen Stramel of Wallace County was named Reserve Grand Champion and earned $1,500, followed by Lane Higbie of Franklin County, finishing 3rd with $1,000; Travis Oliver of Finney County, 4th, $750, and also 5th and a $500 premium.
Besides winning the Grand Champion Market Hog title, Ryan’s spot barrow won his Class and was also named Champion Dark AOB Barrow.
Ryan also finished in the Top 10 (9th) in Senior Showmanship and 2nd in Class with his Chester breeding gilt.
“I never got to feel what he (Ryan) feels after winning a state show,” stated his mother, Dawn. “But as his mom, I’m proud and so happy for this kid.”
Making Ryan’s achievement extra special to him was the fact it was his late father’s birthday the same day.
“The Chiefs won too! I don’t think my kid will sleep at all tonight and his mom probably won’t either,” Dawn stated following the show.
The KJLS was the last 2021 show for Ryan after competing in the spring and summer shows as a Senior Showman.
“He just wanted to compete with the older kids,” stated his mother.
He ended up placing in the Top 5 in his circuit this season and made the finals in most of the shows.
“He loves his spot pigs so much and wanted to win the division at the Kansas State Fair last month,” said Dawn.
“He fell short, but was already talking about having a few more years to keep trying.”
Nearly 800 exhibitors competed in the largest youth livestock show in Kansas, showcasing 1,648 head of livestock, including 158 market steers, 280 breeding heifers, 217 market hogs, 221 breeding gilts, 285 market lambs, 214 breeding ewes, 150 market goats and 123 commercial doe kids.
Cady Pieper, a senior at Palco High School and a Palco 4-H member for the past 10 years, exhibited a Breeding Heifer, Market Steer and a Market Lamb.
In the Senior Beef Showmanship Division, Pieper finished 5th. Cady also won 1st place Hereford Heifer in her Class, her steer was 3rd out of nine lighter weight Hereford steers, and her Market Lamb was 8th. Cady plans on taking her heifer on to show at the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma in January before she gets turned out to be a cow. There were 42 Hereford heifers that Cady competed against.
Cady is the daughter of David and Dana Pieper of rural Zurich.
Eli Atkisson, son of Dan and Amanda Atkisson of Stockton, showed his Registered Angus Heifer “Maude,” placing 4th in his respective class. His gilt “Page” placed
His gilt “Page” placed 3rd in her Commercial Breeding Gilt Class, and his barrow “Colby” placed 8th in his Dark Crossbred Barrow Class.
Eli has participated in Junior Beef and Swine Showmanship and has shown all three of these animals this past spring and summer.
“Maude” will be returning to Hutchinson in December for the Kansas Beef Expo.
Bodye Stithem, daughter of Jesse and Michelle Stithem of Stockton, participated in Intermediate Beef Showmanship and was 2nd in her Simmental Breeding Heifer Class at the show.
Rounding out the five competing from Rooks County was Clay Pelton of Paradise. He showed a Crossbred Steer in the Market Steer Show.
Clay is the son of Chris and Susan Pelton of Paradise.
Since the inception of the KJLS scholarship program in 1993, a total of 359 exhibitors have been awarded $510,600.
Kansas Livestock Association and Kansas State Univrsity are major sponsors of the show, along with Cargill, Merck Animal Health, Seaboard Food, American AgCredit, Kansas Farm Bureau, Evergy, the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Friends of KJLS.
