By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

Originally getting pushed by friends to show animals at the Caldwell County Junior Livestock Show, Clarke Jakel will now be appearing as a participant at the show for the final time Feb. 27-March 1 after having a variety of animals entered over the years.

Jakel has also become President of the Plum Creek 4-H Club and Caldwell County 4-H Council.  

Even those achievements pale in comparison to what else he is doing.

The homeschooled senior, Jakel, 18, is helping his brothers-Callen, 14, and Conway, 8 – show animals at the livestock show. Callen is a special needs youngster.

“I’m helping Callen out, showing rabbits,” Clarke said. “He has also shown turkeys in the past. Conway is not quite old enough for the Junior Livestock Show, but he is involved with a bottle calf program.”

Clarke said he was about 8 (years old) when some friends “pushed” him into showing animals as they had the previous year.

“That first year, I showed pigs, and I showed them for two or three years,” Clarke said. “I’ve also shown turkeys. That’s where I’ve been the most successful, but I’ve also shown chickens, and I’ve helped with goats, lambs, and cows.”

In his first year showing turkeys, Clarke credited his mentor, Jackie Woodworth, for helping him along.

It worked well. Clarke won Grand Champion Turkey his first year and has won the honor four times.

“I wouldn’t have made it to my second year without the support of my family,” Clarke said. “My mother has been right by my side.”

Clarke is the son of Chad and C.J. Jakel.

Clarke is president of both Plum Creek 4H and Caldwell County 4H Council.

“As president, I go through all of the agendas and get all of the information out that I can,” Clarke said. “I’m also in charge of the committees. I’m trying to bring in a little money and set up our people as well as I can. We had a big gun raffle this year. That made some money.”

As for next year, Clarke plans to do some type of internship with the national parks.

“I would like to travel around and find out where I need to be,” Clarke said.

* * *

Caldwell County 

Junior Livestock Show

Thursday, Feb. 27

•(Check-in/Weigh-in 

w/superintendents)

•Market Swine, 2-3 p.m.

•Breeding Swine, 2-3 p.m.

•Poultry, 2-3 p.m.

•Market Rabbits, 2-4 p.m.

•Breeding Rabbits, 

2-4  p.m.

•Market Lambs & 

Goats, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

•Breeding Lambs & 

Goats, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

•Market Beef, 4-5 p.m.

•Breeding Beef, 4-5 p.m.

•Bucket Calf, 4-5 p.m.

•Re-Weighs, 5:30-6 p.m.

•Project Fair Optional

Check-in, 4-6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 28

•Pledge & Prayer, 8 a.m.

•Project Fair Check-in, 

8-10 a.m.

•Broilers, 8 a.m.

•Turkeys, (immediately 

following)

•Market Lambs, 

(not before 10 a.m.)

•Ewes, (immediately 

following)

•Goats, (immediately 

following)

•Breeding Goats, 

(immediately following)

•Market Rabbits, not 

before 2 p.m.

•Breeding Rabbits,

(immediately following)

•Bucket Calf, 

not before 5 p.m.

•Hay Hauling: 3 and 

4-year-old youth, 

(immediately following)

•Pig Scramble Contest: 

Kindergarten, 1st and 

2nd graders, 

(immediately following)

•Little Showman 

Project, Pre-K, 1st and 

2nd graders, 

(immediately following)

•Project Fair Silent 

Auction ends, 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 1

•Pledge & Prayer, 8 a.m.

•Market Hogs, 8 a.m.

•Breeding Gilts, 

(immediately following)

•Steers, not before 

10 a.m.

•Breeding Beef, 

(immediately following)

•Overall Showmanship, 

(immediately following)

•Barbecue Dinner,

 4 p.m.

•All winners with 

trophies, jackets, and 

prizes photos, 5:30 p.m.

•Pledge and Prayer, 

6 p.m.

•Animal Auction, 

6 p.m. 

Buyers welcome.