Skippy, a 4-year-old blended breed owned by Georgia Farm Bureau members Donald and Laura Adams, was named the winner of the 2024 Farm Bureau Farm Canine of the 12 months award.
Skippy and three others had been acknowledged by Nestlé Purina PetCare and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) throughout AFBF’s annual conference.
“It has been a pleasure partnering with Purina for the sixth annual Farm Canine of the 12 months contest, offering the general public a glimpse of every day life on the farm,” mentioned AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Though farmers and ranchers love what they do, it’s well-known that farming might be aggravating. Farm canine will help ease the burden, as a result of they typically play a twin position as each working canine and companions to farm households.”
Rounding up livestock and chasing off predators are among the many many duties carried out by farm canine. The competition celebrates farm canine that work alongside farmers and ranchers as they sustainably produce nutritious meals for households and their pets throughout America.
Skippy, the grand prize winner of the 2024 Farm Bureau Farm Canine of the 12 months award, is a 4-year-old blended breed with Border Collie, Australian Shepherd and Catahoula hound in her lineage. She has been with the Adams for about two years. Working livestock – serving to transfer beef cattle the place they should go – is Skippy’s major position on the farm.
“Skippy’s a accomplice, she’s a pet and she or he helps us with the cattle daily,” Donald mentioned. That help was essential after he was injured on the farm in 2019 – paralyzed from the neck down – and confronted an extended street to restoration. “With the ability to preserve the cows and having one thing for me to stay for daily…she has contributed to that immensely,” he mentioned.
Laura Adams sheds extra gentle on the farmer-farm canine connection and what having Skippy means to them: “Skippy and Donald had an on the spot bond from day one. Getting a farm canine modified our lives.” They acquired Skippy from P.H.A.R.M Canine USA, which helps farmers and farm relations with bodily, cognitive or illness-related disabilities.
Purina donated prizes for the competition once more this yr. This included $5,000 in prize cash, a trophy plate, a yr’s provide of Professional-Plan pet food and different Purina merchandise for Skippy. The corporate has been serving to canine and cats stay longer, more healthy lives by way of scientifically based mostly dietary improvements for greater than 90 years.
“Purina is proud to help the sixth annual Farm Canine of the 12 months competitors with the American Farm Bureau, and we applaud this yr’s winner, Skippy,” mentioned Jack Scott, vice chairman of sustainable sourcing at Nestlé Purina PetCare. “We consider folks and pets are higher collectively, and Skippy’s position on the farm alongside together with her bond to Donald completely exemplifies what this contest is about.”
Three regional runners-up within the contest will every obtain $1,000 in prize cash, a trophy plate and Purina merchandise. They’re:
- Cinco, owned by Caleb and Samantha Smith
- Meg, owned by Michelle Wilfong, West Virginia member
- Fancy, owned by Miles Bailey, Missouri member
A panel of judges with experience within the pet care trade, veterinary drugs and communications reviewed greater than 100 nominations to pick out the 2024 Farm Canine of the 12 months. Judging standards included the canine’s helpfulness to the farmer and his/her household, playfulness and their position in making life higher on and off the farm. Farm Bureau members submitted written responses to questions, pictures and video clips to appoint their canine for Farm Canine of the 12 months.
Folks’s Selection Pup
Greater than 100,000 folks voted on-line within the Folks’s Selection Pup a part of the competitors. Casper, owned by Georgia Farm Bureau member John Wierwille, was named Folks’s Selection Pup.
Casper receives a trophy plate and Purina merchandise. A $1,000 money prize will probably be straight donated to Atlanta-based LifeLine Animal Challenge on the request of Wierwille. LifeLine cared for Casper after he was injured by coyotes whereas defending his flock of sheep.
4 different canine had been contenders for Folks’s Selection Pup: runner-up Cinco, owned by Utah members Caleb and Samantha Smith; Journey, owned by Ohio member Loralynn Kadell; Margo, owned by Indiana member Rachel Hyde; and Morgan, owned by Idaho member Megan Stark.
