Morris raises supreme grand champion market lamb, breed show ewe

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Fallbrook 4-H member Alan Morris knew that he wouldn't have the success at this year's San Diego County Fair as he had last year. The fair's market livestock show limits exhibitors to three large animals including two from the same species, although the rule was waived last year when the market livestock show was virtual.

This year, the June 26 auction was virtual but the market livestock show was in person, so Morris showed three market livestock animals and one livestock breed show ewe. The three market livestock animals all won their class while one of his lambs became the supreme grand champion, and the breed show lamb was the supreme grand champion ewe for the breed show.

"I'm glad that we had an in-person fair this year. I'm glad I got to see everybody," Morris said.

Last year, Morris showed five lambs and a goat. The 89-pound goat was the supreme grand champion as well as the 4-H grand champion and the 4-H heavyweight champion. His 143-pound lamb was the 4-H grand champion and the 4-H heavyweight champion. The 123-pound lamb was the 4-H reserve champion and the 4-H mediumweight champion. Morris' 102-pound lamb was the 4-H lightweight champion and a 103-pound lamb was the 4-H reserve champion. His 160-pound lamb was the 4-H super heavyweight champion.

Morris and his brother, Oscar Ledesma, are the sons in Rocky & Sons Show Lambs. Future Farmers of America chapters are associated with a high school, so many FFA members continued to raise animals as part of their projects between when the 2020 county fair was cancelled and when the fair board decided to hold a virtual livestock show and a virtual auction, although some likely raised fewer animals than would have been the case had last year's fair been physical.

Some 4-H members chose not to raise animals at all last year. With fewer Rocky & Sons lambs being sold, Morris and Ledesma showed some of the lambs themselves last year. Ledesma showed five lambs including the FFA grand champion and supreme grand champion and the FFA reserve champion, and he won three of the four FFA weight classes. Ledesma did not enter this year's county fair.

The livestock breed show ewe, Hazelnut, was 6 months old and weighed 147 pounds during the 2021 county fair. The Morris family acquired Hazelnut in March from Hassebrook Show Lambs, which is in the eastern Nebraska town of Raymond.

"She was a really good lamb, and I really liked showing her," Morris said.

Hazelnut, who is a Hampshire cross, began the competition by winning the commercial wether dam class. She then was chosen as the Commercial Grades and Unregistered grand champion, which pitted her against the Registered Grades grand champion for supreme grand champion ewe.

Prior to this year, Morris had never raised a pig, but in March the Morris family acquired a barrow (castrated male) Hampshire cross from No Limit Genetics, which is in Modesto. "It was a really fun and cool and different animal," Morris said.

Muddy was 277 pounds and 6 months old when Morris showed him at the county fair. This year, the classes were based on weight but were not official weight classes. Muddy took first place in his class.

"I was just very surprised that I actually got first place," Morris said.

The class champions and class reserve champions competed for 4-H grand champion and 4-H reserve champion although 4-H members from Valley Center took both of those awards.

Muddy was not sold after the county fair. The Ramona Country Fair will take place July 30 through Aug. 1, and Morris will show Muddy there.

Morris' two market livestock show lambs were also Hampshire crosses. Both were wethers and both were 6 months old during the market livestock show. Splash was acquired from Hassebrook Show Lambs in March and was 118 pounds when placed on the fair scales. Rocky & Sons bred Spade, who weighed 145 pounds at the fair.

Each of Morris' two lambs won his class. "It was pretty cool," he said.

The champions and reserve champions of the five 4-H classes competed for 4-H grand champion and 4-H reserve champion. Five of those 10 lambs were from Rocky & Sons.

The fair had seven FFA classes for lambs. The 14 FFA class champions and reserve champions included seven bred by Rocky & Sons.

That gave Rocky & Sons 12 of the 24 FFA and 4-H class champions and class reserve champions. "It was super exciting because the kids, they all raised them and took care of them," Morris said.

The East County Grange which is based in Alpine was chartered in 2020. The Grange had not participated in the market livestock show for several years, and in past years any Grange exhibitors competed in the 4-H division. This year there was a separate Grange division. East County Grange member Karstin Wagner, who was the only Grange member to raise a lamb this year, obtained her 131-pound lamb from Rocky & Sons.

Splash was chosen as the 4-H grand champion. "It was pretty fun," Morris said. "I was excited, happy."

Kylie Konyn of 56 Ranchers 4-H raised a 116-pound lamb which was selected as the 4-H reserve champion.

Fallbrook FFA member Taylor Michalke showed two lambs obtained from Rocky & Sons including Pecan, a 121-pound wether who won his class and then was selected as the FFA grand champion. El Capitan FFA member Haley Attig raised a 125-pound lamb which was the FFA reserve champion.

That meant that Rocky & Sons bred the 4-H grand champion, the FFA grand champion, and the Grange grand champion. "It was really good to see all of our lambs out there," Morris said.

The 4-H grand champion, the 4-H reserve champion, the FFA grand champion, the FFA reserve champion, and the Grange grand champion competed for supreme grand champion and supreme reserve champion. The judges named Splash the supreme grand champion lamb.

"I liked working with him, and it was very fun showing him," Morris said.

Morris used Hazelnut for the lamb showmanship competition. She won first place. "I was very happy and excited that I won showmanship with her," Morris said.

Morris also participated in the pig showmanship competition. He noted that he worked with Muddy for approximately 30 minutes each day. "I also had to teach him how to keep his head up," Morris said.

Muddy placed second in the 4-H intermediate pig showmanship competition. First place in a species showmanship advances that animal to the master showmanship competition for all large animals, where Hazelnut placed fourth.

Splash was purchased at the auction for $1,875 by Southern Contracting Company, which is based in San Marcos. Unless the same exhibitor raises more than one animal who reaches the championship drive, an exhibitor can only sell one animal at the auction. Spades was not offered for purchase at a barn sale and will be shown at the Ramona Country Fair.