Wilkinson Part of Legislative Livestock Showdown

50th District State Senator John Wilkinson of Stephens County leads the State Senate in its annual Legislative Livestock Showdown.

Wilkinson chaired the Senate team as they tried their hand at showing dairy heifers at the sixth annual Legislative Livestock Showdown in Perry on October 8.

Senators Elena Parent, John Kennedy, Butch Miller, Michael Rhett, and Larry Walker made up the rest of this year’s Senate team.

The Legislative Livestock Showdown is a highly competitive event between five senators and five representatives.

The legislators were partnered with highly experienced 4-H or Future Farmers of America students who coached them on proper animal handling, showmanship and ring etiquette.

Competitors were scored by two professional livestock judges.

The Showdown was co-sponsored by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia National Fair.

Wilkinson said this competitive event is a great opportunity for legislators who may or may not have a background in agriculture to learn first-hand what it takes to show livestock and practice their newly acquired show ring etiquette, adding that while they lost to the State House, he is extremely proud of his colleagues who participated in the event and he is looking forward to next year’s showdown.