Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler inducted four new members into the N.C. State Fair Livestock Hall of Fame Sunday at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.
“It is an honor for me to be able to recognize the men and women who have helped make our livestock shows some of the best in the nation,” Troxler said. “Today’s inductees join a select group that has been honored for outstanding support of agriculture and livestock at the N.C. State Fair.”
Following is the list of this year’s inductees:
Ron Hughes of Wendell was inducted into the Swine category. The native of Pennsylvania has been deeply involved in State Fair livestock shows since he moved to North Carolina in 1978. Hughes showed swine for Zoo View Farm for two years before being recruited by Dr. J.R. Jones, longtime State Fair Swine Superintendent and extension specialist, to N.C. State University for its Swine Extension Team. Hughes assisted with the swine shows, helping with show management and carcass data collection. In 2006, he became superintendent of both the swine and meat goat shows where he has been a fixture for the past 17 years. Through his service, encouragement and leadership, participation in the swine showmanship shows has grown significantly. He was also responsible for bringing back the swine breeding shows, which had stopped in 1995.
Joan Petty of Raleigh was inducted into the Horse category. Petty’s involvement with horse shows began in the 1980s when her children Morgan and Cam first participated in horse shows, and her interest and involvement has only grown over the years, making her name nearly synonymous with State Fair horse shows. Petty has gone on to own and oversee the N.C. State Fair Hunter Jumper Show and co-owns the Duke Children’s Benefit Horse Show with her husband, Glenn. The annual benefit horse show has raised nearly $3 million for the hospital. Petty also sits on a facility management advisory committee for the horse complex and has served as president of the N.C. Hunter Jumper Association.
The late Warren Strowd of Pittsboro was inducted into the Supporter category. Strowd was a lifelong farmer, cattle breeder and businessman who was an integral part of the Chatham County Cattlemen’s Association, where he worked as county inseminator. Through his work, he helped Chatham County dairies grow. He spent 50 years with the American Breeders Service and earned many awards in his lifetime. He was a strong supporter of the N.C. State Fair, manning a booth in the Jim Graham Building to represent his breeding service. He also supported his three children and grandchildren in showing beef cattle at the State Fair, where they won Grand Champion and Showmanship Awards numerous times.
Steve Carroll of Raleigh was inducted into the Commissioner Meritorious category. Carroll served as Executive Vice President/General Manager of the N.C. Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company until his retirement in 2020. While his work involved helping people with insurance coverage, Carroll took a strong interest in youth livestock shows. Under Carroll’s guidance, the Farm Bureau has become one of the premier sponsors of State Fair livestock shows, supporting youth through the purchase of champion animals at the annual Sale of Champions. Carroll often went beyond his budget target to support the youth livestock sales, knowing that represented a big investment in the future of North Carolina agriculture.
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