FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Magnolia FFA Students Celebrate Outstanding Success at 2026 Columbia County Fair
Magnolia, Arkansas — Magnolia FFA students had an outstanding week at the 2026 Columbia County Fair, bringing home an impressive collection of Grand Champion, Reserve Champion, Best of Breed, showmanship, and top-place honors across livestock, rabbits, poultry, and Ag Mechanics competitions.
From the livestock show ring to the Ag Mechanics exhibit, Magnolia students demonstrated the hard work, responsibility, craftsmanship, and dedication that are at the heart of agricultural education and FFA. Students represented Magnolia across sheep, goats, cattle, swine, rabbits, poultry, and Ag Mechanics competitions.
Sheep
Taylor Jolly led an impressive showing in the sheep competition, exhibiting the Grand Champion Market Lamb and earning the title of Grand Champion Senior Showman.
Tatum Carter exhibited the 3rd Overall Market Lamb, while Baylee Kinnaird earned a 2nd-place finish.
Goats
Magnolia students continued their success in the goat show, with Tatum Carter earning Reserve Champion Senior Goat Showman.
EmmaSue Elam was named Reserve Champion Junior Goat Showman and exhibited the 3rd Overall Market Goat.
Cattle
In cattle competition, Kly Bella Young earned 3rd Overall Senior Showman. Young also exhibited 2nd- and 3rd-place Commercial Heifers, with her entries going on to finish 5th and 6th Overall Commercial Heifers.
Bubba Linton exhibited the Reserve Champion Star 5 Heifer and the Grand Champion American Breeding Heifer. Linton also earned 3rd Overall Breeding Heifer and 3rd Overall Intermediate Showman honors.
Swine
Magnolia FFA students had an exceptional showing throughout the swine competition.
Weston Faulk was named Grand Champion Senior Showman. He also exhibited a 2nd Place Commercial Gilt, which went on to finish 6th Overall Commercial Gilt, and earned three 2nd-place Market Hog finishes.
Bubba Linton was named Reserve Intermediate Showman.
EmmaSue Elam earned Reserve Junior Showman honors and exhibited the Grand Champion Landrace, which went on to finish 4th Overall Purebred Gilt. Elam also exhibited a 1st Place Commercial Gilt, earning 3rd Overall Commercial Gilt.
Jackson Teutsch exhibited the Reserve Champion Berkshire, which finished 7th Overall Purebred Gilt. Teutsch also earned 3rd Place Commercial Gilt and 3rd Place Market Hog.
Tate Walthall earned 1st Place Commercial Gilt and recorded 1st-, 2nd-, and 4th-place Market Hog finishes.
Gracie Linton earned 1st- and 2nd-place Market Hog honors, while Londyn Jacobs recorded a 3rd Place Market Hog finish.
Rabbits
Magnolia students also collected an impressive number of awards in the rabbit competition.
Taylor Jolly earned 2nd Place Senior Buck – Polish.
Baylee Kinnaird earned 1st Place and Best of Breed – Holland Lop, along with 1st Place – Lionhead.
Kensleigh Watkins earned 2nd Place – Holland Lop and 1st Place and Best of Breed – Netherland Dwarf.
Miles Gill received Best of Breed – Champagne d'Argent.
Oaklie Caldwell was named Reserve Champion Intermediate Showman and received Best of Breed – Californian. Caldwell also earned 2nd Place – Havana Junior Doe, 3rd Place – Havana Junior Buck, 3rd Place – Havana Senior Buck, 1st Place – Polish Junior Doe, and 1st Place – Polish Junior Buck.
Poultry
Kly Bella Young added to her successful fair week by earning 3rd Place in the Poultry Chain.
Ag Mechanics
Magnolia FFA students demonstrated their talents outside the show ring as well, earning some of the highest honors in the Ag Mechanics competition.
The Picnic Table constructed by Easton Flow, Logan Clack, Ty Spurling, Wyatt Caldwell, Carson Britt, and Riley Lewis was named Grand Champion.
The Mineral Feeder created by Jaber Abbaspour, Thatcher Young, JD Barnes, and Kly Bella Young earned Reserve Grand Champion.
Ruby Coppersmith, Zayra Casimiro, A'Marian Turner, and Ana Ponce earned 1st Place for their Seasonal Décor Boards.
The Barn Quilt created by Nikki Davis, Sophie Smith, and Kensleigh Watkins earned 2nd Place.
The Spool Table constructed by Weston Faulk, Jack Waller, Chase Dunlop, Aiden Mallory, and Finn Caldwell also earned 2nd Place.
Each Ag Mechanics project represented countless hours of work in the shop. Students were responsible for planning, measuring, cutting, building, sanding, painting, staining, and completing the finishing details necessary to prepare their projects for competition.
More Than Ribbons and Banners
While the ribbons, banners, championships, and top finishes provide plenty to celebrate, Magnolia students' accomplishments at the Columbia County Fair represent much more than awards.
Preparing livestock for competition requires months of feeding, caring for animals, practicing showmanship, and accepting the daily responsibilities that come with an agricultural project. Likewise, Ag Mechanics students must take an idea from the planning stage through construction and completion while developing technical and problem-solving skills along the way.
These experiences provide students with opportunities to develop leadership, responsibility, perseverance, teamwork, craftsmanship, confidence, and a strong work ethic — skills that extend far beyond the fairgrounds.
The Magnolia School District congratulates all of the Magnolia FFA students who competed at the 2026 Columbia County Fair and extends its appreciation to the FFA advisors, families, volunteers, and community members who invest their time and support into these students throughout the year.
From Grand Champions and Reserve Champions to Best of Breed awards and individual class victories, Magnolia FFA students represented their school and community with excellence.
Congratulations, Magnolia FFA, on an outstanding 2026 Columbia County Fair!