Sale of Junior Champions featured Vick siblings; Morris receives scholarship

 This year, 1,257 4-H and FFA members across Mississippi participated in the Dixie National Junior Round-Up Livestock Shows, showing 2,153 head of livestock. The students competed for the opportunity to participate in the 54th annual Sale of Junior Champions. 

The Sale of Junior Champions, one of the highlight events of the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo, is a livestock auction where livestock exhibitors winning Champion and Reserve Champion in the Junior Round-Up Market Divisions sell their animals and scholarships are awarded.

During the Sale of Junior Champions, several student members of the Panola County 4-H and South Panola FFA organizations were recognized for their achievements. Mollie and Archer Vick, Champions of the Mississippi Bred Spotted Hog Show, participated in the sale. In addition, Sadie Morris was awarded a scholarship.

“One of the most coveted honors for Mississippi’s youth livestock exhibitors is participating in the Sale of Junior Champions. The hard work and dedication that it takes to compete surpasses that required for a number of other youth activities. These youth are our future leaders. The skills and lessons learned will not just impact their generation; it will impact future generations to come,” said Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. 

“I am so proud of all the students from across our great state who worked hard all year to raise these animals and participate in the 2023 Dixie National livestock shows. Congratulations to all of our winners and scholarship recipients.”

The final Sale of Champions featured a record 48 champion market animals, including eight steers, 16 hogs, 12 goats, 10 lambs and for the first time, two hair sheep. The preliminary total sale was $456,285. 

The Sale of Champions Promotion Committee raised $61,500 in scholarships, including numerous $1,500 scholarships for high school senior exhibitors. This year, scholarships were awarded to 39 student participants of the Dixie National Junior Round-Up Livestock Shows.

Sadie Morris, a student at South Panola High School and a member of the SP and Panola County 4-H was a scholarship recipient.

 Photo: 2023 Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions Champion Spotted/MS Bred Champion Spotted Hog Exhibited by Mollie and Archer Vick, Panola 4-H. (MSU)