Banquet raises scholarship funds

Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby ROUNDING UP balloons and corralling them in plastic “barrells,” FFA members, from left, Taylor Shipp, Union Grove; Travis Burks, Harmony; Jonathan Smith, New Diana; and Anna Pruitt Harmony; participate in the Stickhorse Rodeo at the Livestock Buyers Banquet Thursday. The annual fundraiser is a major source of the funds raised for scholarships given by the livestock committee of the East Texas Yamboree Association.

The Upshur County 4-H won the team competition at the 5th annual Livestock Buyers Banquet at the Gilmer Civic Center Thursday (April 17). It was the first time for a team to be a repeat winner.

In addition to raising $3,500 in funds for scholarships, the East Texas Yamboree Association’s Livestock Committee has also received special contributions from the Winnsboro Livestock Auction, Etex Telephone, and Etex Communications.

The auctioneer from Winnsboro donated back his $1,000 fee last October for a scholarship in the organization’s name. Likewise the two communications outlets in Upshur County have established a scholarship for $1,000.

Along with the Yamboree Scholarship Bar-B-Que, the livestock committee raises funds to distribute among Upshur County youth. This year the committee will be handing out a minimum of $8,500 in scholarhips.

Members of the Upshur County 4-H team were Cody Rosenbalm, Dalton Brown, Brynn Darby, Taylor McQueen and Chandler Allen.

The events at the Stickhorse Rodeo included barrell racing around plastic tubs, team penning, with two members of a team identifying balloons marked with their team number and using a fly swatter to manuever the balloon into their “barrell,” and wild cow milking.

The last event required a team member to pierce a latex glove filled with milk and to “milk” the glove into a bottle. Mopping after the event was a necessary, but not a required, team action.

Mike Spencer served as the auctioneer of the several cakes and shop projects which were brought to assist in the fund raising.

Union Hill and Gladewater contributed to the projects, but did not have teams in the rodeo.

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