Talking about a grand sweep, the Widner clan of Colquitt has done it again. After winning the grand champion and reserve champion, as well as the home grown champion and reserve homegrown champion on February 20, at the local hog and heifer show in Colquitt, the Widners headed to the Georgia National Livestock Show in Perry held February 23-25, where they took state honors as well. Brooke Widner won state Grand Champion; Taylor Widner won the Reserve Grand Champion, and Jonathon Widner was first place in his division.
This has never happened since the Miller Countians have been participating in the show in Perry. This is especially a feat since these barrows were grown by the Widners in Miller County. This is a tribute to the Miller County Young Farmers and FFA organizations who sponsor and help at these shows as well as the school advisors and parents who help and teach these young people with these projects.
Brooke Widner stated that she stayed home from her brother’s state baseball tournament because her grand champion pig was supposed to be born. Her brother, Taylor, and his team won the state baseball tournament, and the grand champion barrow was born.
I guess you could say I missed seeing the championship baseball game, making sure my grand champion barrow was born that weekend, Brooke stated.
Brooke Widner is the owner of Pigtail Farms. She became interested in the show pig business and decided to try it for herself. After she and her dad spent many hours researching the industry, she bought six gilts from a breeder in Arkansas and got started.
According to FFA reporter, Matthew Tully, congratulations are in order for Brooke Widner for winning the State Jr. Market Hog Show with her barrow last Friday in Perry. Her brother Taylor won Reserve Grand Champion with his barrow. Over 500 barrows were shown at this show. Also congratulations go to Jonathon Widner for winning Division Championship honors with his gilt.
February 23 -25 was the Georgia National Livestock Show in Perry. Nineteen hog exhibitors from Miller County attended the state show. These are the results of the Barrow Divisions: Nick Rawlings placed fifth in the Class 3. In Class 6 Jennifer Rathel placed fourth, Josh Rathel Placed seventh, and Heather Butler placed 10th. In Class 7, David McVey placed sixth. Paige Godfrey also showed her barrow in this class. Shelton Pickle showed his hog in Class 9. Nikki Griffin placed second in the Class 10. In Class 12, David McVey placed fifth. Brooke Widner placed first in Class 13. Jonathon Widner placed first in Class 14. Corey Roseborough also showed a barrow in this class. In Class 16, Taylor Widner placed first with his barrow. Jenna Phillips also showed in this class. Tomi Lynn Duncan showed a barrow in Class 18. In Class 19, Josh Rathel placed ninth. Daniel Allen also showed his barrow in this class. Results of the gilt divisions were as follows. Zack Griffin showed his hog in Class 25. BethAnne Phillips showed her gilt in Class 26. In Class 29, Zac Taylor showed his gilt. He also placed 10th out of 24 hogs in Class 32. Jonathon Widner placed first out of 24 hogs in Class 34. Nikki Griffin placed fifth out of 27 hogs in Class 35. Sheffield Duncan showed a barrow in Class 36. Daniel Allen places ninth out of 24 hogs in Class 41. Zack Griffin placed fifth out of 27 hogs in Class 42. In Class 46, Tomi Lynn Duncan showed her gilt. Brooke Widner placed first out of 25 hogs in Class 47. Sheffield Duncan showed his gilt in Class 49. Mindi Merritt, Paige Godfrey, and Will Henry showed Angus heifers at this state show. Will placed ninth in his class.

If you haven’t seen “Nuthin’ But A Will,” it will reopen on Thursday, March 2, for the spring season.
Over 95 volunteer/professionals will make you laugh, cry and remember as they tell the stories collected and saved over the years about the unseen, unthanked and seldom remembered heroes. These stories are told by firemen, their families or people they have helped.
The Colquitt Miller Arts Council presents the home-spun play each year in the spring and in the fall. This is the 13th year that Swamp Gravy has been presenting the stories, most of them very near the truth, to audiences from all over the world. This season will be no exception.
The Colquitt Miller Arts Council welcomed back the original director, Richard Geer and team to lead the production of “Nuthin’ But A Will.”This play revolves around Colquitt’s Volunteer Fire Department. It tells of how it started and how it has become one of the very best departments in the state. It is different from all the rest of the many productions and even different from the last one you saw since the actors and actresses are different from one show to the next.
If you’ve never seen a Swamp Gravy production, you are in for quite an experience. It’s nothing like you have ever seen before. If you’ve seen one of the productions, you already know you are in for something different.
It is recommended that you get your reserved seats in advance of coming. Most of the shows are sold out when they are being put on.
Call for your tickets today and get ready for fun in Colquitt at Cotton Hall.

Hardee’s of Colquitt recently received a “Platinum” audit rating, which is the highest rating possible within the Hardee’s system for food safety and cleanliness.
The unannounced audit is conducted by a third party company and has over 300 individual inspection points related to proper temperatures, holding times, cleanliness procedures and other food safety issues.
There are only 37 Hardee’s in the entire country who achieve the “Platinum” score.
Ponder Enterprises, Inc, the owners of the Colquitt Hardee’s, are to be congratulated for this most noteworthy achievement, especially in this community.

If you enjoy playing in a fun golf tournament with a chance to win a new truck, money and many other fine prizes, now is the time to sign up with your team or as an individual.
Miller County Hospital is planning its 8th annual Golf Tournament at beautiful Crooked Oak Golf Club in Colquitt. The tournament will be held Friday, March 10. It will begin at 12:00 noon.
According to Dot Wainright, the plans are being made for the biggest and best tournament ever. She stated that not only will those participating have lots of fun playing on the fine Crooked Oak Golf Club course, but there will be plenty of food and prizes for the participants when they finish the tournament.
All of the golfers, or duffers, are urged to call Dot Wainright at 229-758-5549 to sign up for this great golf tournament. All who participate are assured of have a wonderful time at this benefit tournament.
The funds generated from this tournament will go toward the purchase of equipment and needed items at the Miller County Hospital.
Where else can you go enjoy yourself for an afternoon, have an opportunity to win a prize, money or even a truck, eat when you get in and help this community better itself and the local hospital?

A sesquicentennial celebration is currently in the planning stages for our community. With Colquitt and Miller County celebrating its 150th birthday, plans are underway to make sure the celebration will be remembered for years to come. Preliminary plans call for a weekend festival celebration with food, entertainment, arts/crafts vendors and much more. It is in hopes that the festival will occur in the downtown district of Colquitt.
Miller County was created from Baker and Early Counties on February 26, 1856, by an act of the General Assembly. Georgia’s 117th county was named for Georgia lawyer, Georgia State Senator, and Medical College of Georgia president, Andrew Miller. The act creating Miller County authorized the justices of the county’s inferior court to select a “central and convenient place” for the county seat, lay off the site into town lots, and provide for construction of a courthouse and other public buildings. In 1856, the inferior court designated the town of Colquitt as county seat of Miller County. Colquitt was named after Walter T. Colquitt, who was a minister, statesman, and lawyer. He served in the Georgia State Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate.
The Georgia General Assembly is in the process of approving a proclamation for Colquitt and Miller County to help recognize their 150 years of existence, growth and improvement. If anyone wishes to help with the sesquicentennial celebration or has any good ideas to help in the further planning processes, please call Cory Thomas at the Colquitt City Hall at 229-758-1000. More information will come as the plans are made. We will try to report on the events that are being planned on a regular basis in the Miller County Liberal newspaper, the website www.millercountyliberal.com and at www.colquitt-georgia.com or mail your thoughts to Birthday 150, P.O. Box 37, Colquitt, GA 39837.

Week of February 26, 2006