57th Annual Junior Sale of Champions: Celebrating Hard Work, Heritage, and the Future of Mississippi Agriculture
Each year, the Junior Sale of Champions brings together Mississippi’s brightest young livestock exhibitors, students who have poured months, even years, of dedication into preparing their cattle, goats, sheep, and swine for the show ring.
Bidders and organizations from across Mississippi come together to support young people by purchasing the best-in-show animals, with every winning bid going directly into scholarships for the exhibitors who earned a trip into the Sale of Champions arena.
For the students, earning a spot at the Sale of Junior Champions is far more than a single moment of victory. It is the result of early mornings, long days, late nights, and an unwavering commitment to the animals they raise. Dustin Roberts of Humphreys County describes the daily rhythm of show life.
“I get up early in the mornings, go out, feed animals, come in, get ready for school… then come back home and typically work until it’s dark out,” said Roberts. “Then I’ll go inside and work on schoolwork.”
For Roberts, the effort is worthwhile not only because of the competition, but because of the community that surrounds it:
“It gives you connections all around the state… you meet new friends and new family,” said Roberts.
For younger exhibitors, like Smith County’s Elaina Hammons, 8, and Oktibbeha County’s Mason Karisch, 11, those moments before and after school putting in the work add up to something powerful:
“I’d go down to the barn… walk my pig. It feels really good,” said Hammons.
“We had to slick him and lots of washing, rinsing and drying, brushing, it’s hard work,” said Karisch.
Winston County’s Jadyn Collier echoed the theme of perseverance. She received a two-thousand-dollar scholarship for her ten plus years showing at this event.
“A lot of time and effort’s put into it… a lot of long days,” said Collier. “You have to love something like that to do it for so long.”
The payoff for Collier means a brighter future.
“It shows me that my hard work did pay off… and it’s going to go to pay for college,” said Collier.
For many exhibitors, the lessons go deeper than technique; they become part of who they are.
“It was absolutely incredible to be on the coliseum dirt and win,” said Jones County’s Maggie Claire Todd. “It just takes so many people to get us to that point.”
Raised in the industry, she sees livestock showing as a training ground for life:
“There’s no industry that raises young leaders like the livestock show industry. It pushes us to be better people… to persevere,” said Todd.
Mississippi 4H state president, Morgan White of Oktibbeha County—who juggled showing three species while also serving as a youth leader—says the experience broadens her world:
“It helps you really network… learning how people in other states do things differently,” said White.
Behind these young exhibitors is a network of supporters—families, ag teachers, volunteers, and organizations dedicated to uplifting Mississippi’s youth. Among the most steadfast of these is the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, a longtime sponsor and enthusiastic bidder at the Sale of Champions.
Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation President Mike McCormick says the event is one of the highlights of the year.
“You couldn’t look for a better group of young Ag leaders, said McCormick. “Farm Bureau is just incredibly proud to be part of this.”
And as the Sale of Junior Champions continues to grow, so does its impact.
“The more we can work with the Sale of Champions, the more we can share scholarship opportunities with the future leaders of this state,” said McCormick.
Farm Bureau support for future ag leaders continues to grow.
“Organizations like Farm Bureau are not everywhere, “said Todd. “I’m so glad they’re in Mississippi.”
From washing and brushing a steer, to walking a pig each afternoon, to loading up for early-morning shows—every youth exhibitor at the Junior Sale of Champions carries a story of commitment and growth. Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation is proud to invest in the lives of these students because the future of agriculture has never looked brighter.