By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
A shiny new belt buckle was the ultimate prize for Hardy County’s own J.W. Teets who won the Tri-County Fair 4-H/FFA Master Showmanship championship competing against seven other competitors in the Petersburg livestock barn.
“It means a lot. I’ve watched a lot of my friends and family win the award over the past years. Leanna [Basye] won it the other year and now she is kind of in charge of it. It’s kind of fun winning it and she is getting the awards for me. It means a lot and I’m just thankful to everybody who helped me out. It’s very specialYou always like for Hardy County to be on top,” Tri-County Fair 4-H/FFA Master Showmanship champion J.W. Teets stated.
Teets showed tremendous skill presenting four different animals which belonged to other show champions and hadn’t been trained by any of the master showmen prior to the showdown.
The guest judge for the master showmanship presentation was from Staunton, Virginia.
Tri-County Fair showmanship winners at various levels were given the honor of having their animals chosen to be part of the master showmanship class.
Teets joined fellow Hardy Countian Joe Riggleman who was in his third master showmanship competition, Grant County’s Bailee Kiger, Kelby Rumer, Tia Heavner and Lindsey Smith, Grant County’s Ryleigh Cook and Tanner Hinkle.
There was a question and answer session as part of the master showmanship class presentation along with showing champion cattle, sheep, goats and hogs.
Teets showed his upper body strength in handling the stubbornness of the bovine not wanting to move at times.
Teets has gained strength on his family’s Teets Cattle Company farm and working at the Lost River Butcher Block.
Teets knows a lot about competition through sports as an East Hardy High School alumni playing in golf, basketball and baseball which helped in developing focus and determination.
Teets will be representing the Tri-County Fair at the West Virginia State Fair for his achievement as the master showmanship champion.
