Minor takes major title

Ayli Minor of Comanche has been showing cattle and pigs since she was in third grade. Now a sophomore, Minor finally can add the title of grand champion.

Last week, the Comanche FFA officer’s crossbreed steer took top honors and was named grand champion steer at the Stephens County Jr. Livestock Show.

“It was awesome” Minor said as she recalled the moment. “That’s every kid’s dream when they get in the business. They always want to get to the top, so it’s pretty cool.”

She has gotten close before, but fell just short.

“Last year, I had a reserve champion, so this was my first grand champion,” Minor said.

Minor usually has several entries into the fair. She’s always had pigs and has had cattle most years.

It turned out to be a good fair all the way around for her.

“I made sale with all my pigs and I had a breed champion with my Poland gilt,” Minor said.

She usually acquires a steer about a year before the junior livestock show.

“I take care of him all year and obviously work on showing him until county comes around,” Minor said. “Between the cattle and the pigs, it’s a lot of work.”

A typical day would include going to the barn after school around 4 p.m. to work with and take care of the animals for a couple of hours before going home.

Now, it’s off to the Oklahoma Youth Expo to see if she can collect some more hardware.

“Oh, I’m definitely going,” Minor said without hesitation.

Several Comanche students made the premium sale this year with their cattle, pigs, goats or sheep. Those include: Ema Parks (reserve grand heifer), Koble Lewis (Breed Polled Hereford), Katherine Cross (Breed Maintainer), Caity Ramsey (Breed Mini Hereford), Clara Cross (Reserve Maintainer), Rylee Ellis (Reserve Dorper Ewe), Crosbee Padgett (Reserve Division 3 Wether), Raylen Parks (Reserve Simmental Percent), Ty Martin (Reserve Simmental), Josey Harris (Reserve Shorthorn), Paige Pollard (Crossbred Ewe), Raelee Ellis (Hampshire Market Lamb), Dixi Percival (Division 1 Wether), Payton Jones (Hampshire Gilt), Kingston Myers (Chester Gilt), Paxton Jones (Berkshire Gilt), Jason Grissam (Duroc Gilt) and Ava Foraker (Hampshire Burrow).