Special needs students attend livestock show

At the Heart of a Champion Livestock Show, special needs kids compete in the ring.

FREMONT, CA: The inaugural annual Heart of a Champion Livestock Show, which drew scores of children from over Carter County, paid off after months of hard work and planning on Friday. The program, which was a recent addition to the Carter County Junior Livestock Show, allowed special needs kids in grades three through twelve to gain experience handling and showing livestock with the support of a buddy, an experienced livestock show person. Emma Moore, a Plainview High School senior, conceptualised, planned and executed the entire event. She stated the event went off without a hitch.

They had a couple of kids who couldn’t make it, but they had a lot more sign up at the last minute, so it’s been a great day. The pupils were treated to a petting zoo where they could engage with a turkey, a small horse, and a calf. They then proceeded to the ring to show and handle piglets, goats, and sheep. Following the screenings, all the students and their friends enjoyed a pizza party for lunch. All the pupils that competed received a commemorative t-shirt and a ribbon for their accomplishments in the ring.

Moore will graduate this spring and attend Ohio State University, but she said preparations are already in the works to bring Heart of a Champion back the following year. Moore stated that they have discussed with Barrett Allen, who will be a senior at Dickson next year, about taking control. Moore told him I'd support him as much as I could from afar, but he'd have to do all the effort in terms of finding sponsors and spreading the news. They are already brainstorming new activities for the kids, and we're hoping to make this a yearly event.