The Missouri State Fair Foundation has a mission to cultivate the next generation of Missouri agriculture. Its members recognize the important life lessons learned by exhibiting livestock. They also understand exhibiting livestock at the Missouri State Fair can be costly. The foundation offers grants in an effort to encourage more youth exhibitors to show for the first-time at the Missouri State Fair.
This year, Abby Doster age 15, of Memphis was selected to receive a $500 First-Time Missouri State Fair Livestock Exhibitor Grant. The foundation received 129 applications for the 2020 fair and funding was available to award 29 grants. Abby’s grant was specifically funded by MSF Foundation member, Greg & Adam McKinney with McKinney Food Service located in Hughes Springs, Texas. With acceptance of this grant, Abby must attend and exhibit at the 2020 Missouri State Fair, submit monthly updates on her project which is swine, and provide a summary of her exhibition at the conclusion of the state fair in August. Abby plans to exhibit gilts during the Missouri State Fair 4-H & FFA Gilt Show in August. Abby is the daughter of Brad and Lisa Doster of Memphis and will be a sophomore at Scotland County R-1 High School this fall. She is a seven-year member of the Azen Jolly Timers 4-H Club.
Submitted by: Kristy Eggleston-Wood, Youth Program Associate, University of Missouri Extension
