BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Times
The 2025 Union County Livestock Association’s Beef Breed Show was held March 20 at the Jimmy Tallman Agricultural Education Center as a part of the UCLA Livestock Fair.
A large audience came out to support the youngsters, showing off the animals they have worked to raise and train.
The animals shown were all heifers, many of which had been bred – these animals are not required to be sold as they have been raised to be breeding stock rather than for beef.
In all, 39 heifers were walked around the arena, watched closely for confirmation defects by professional Texas cattle judge Braden House (who judged all of the UCLA cattle events this year). Breed animals were shown in seven classes, by weight, and also in a showmanship competition.
The show was long – about three hours – and the night was cool, but the excitement of the competitors and crowd stayed high throughout the event,
Class One was made up of four cows ranging in weight from 505 to 570 pounds. All four were homegrown. Winner of the class was Rylee McDowell. In second was Wayne Hartley, who bred the heifer himself, and Lawson Roddenberry took third place.
Class Two had five entries, ranging in weight from 725 to 870 pounds. Addisyn Worrell took first place, while Cain Addison and Kalli Kadlec filled out the top three.
Class Three contained seven animals, weighing out between 915 and 1080 pounds. Alyssa Lee took first place, with Lane Hartley in second and Graysen Willis in third.
Class Four had seven entries, weighing between 1085 and 1140 pounds. Bailey Varnes took top honors, with Kalyn Reynolds and Wayne Hartley filling out the top three.
Class Five was made up of five cows, all weighing between 1175 and 1180 pounds. Weston Thomas placed first, followed by Chayten Elixson and Kassi Kadlec in second and third.
Class Six had six entries, ranging from 1265 to 1385 pounds in weight. Charley Box won the class, with Lalya Alexander taking second and Weston Daniel in third.
Class Seven was composed of the six largest of the heifers, weighing in between 1415 and 1585 pounds. Ansley Ward won first place, with Lawson Roddenberry coming in second and Addisyn Worrell taking third.
The winners were called back to the ring to compete for Best of show honors, with Ansley Ward’s entry taking Grand Champion honors, Riley McDowell taking Home Grown Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion title and Weston Thompson selected as the Home Grown Reserve Grand Champion.
Senior Breed Exhibitors were recognized for their participation. These included Kutter Durrance, Jolene Moore, Bo Wilson, and Addisyn Worrell.
Junior Showmanship was held in two heats, with Lawson Roddenberry, Lane Hartley and Rylan Boyette finishing top three overall out of a total of eight competitors.
In Intermediate Showmanship, also held in two heats, Chayton Elixson, Ansley Ward, and Weston Daniel took the top three positions overall out of a field of 11 competitors.
In Senior Showmanship, Jacee Box took top honors, with Addisyn Worrell in second and Rylee McDowall in third out of eight competitors.
