CHOCOWINITY — It’s been 50 years since Beaufort County’s 4-H Livestock Show and Sale was held at home. Click HERE to view a photo gallery.

The 4-H students, organizers, goats, hogs and lambs are used to piling in for the trip to Washington County. This year, however, Beaufort County 4-H was looking to change that.

Raised in a Barn Farm donated its space to bring the annual event back home Tuesday. An all-day affair, the Livestock Show and Sale featured costumes, animal shows for junior and senior classes, a livestock show for special-needs children, dinner, awards and finally the animal auction. Proceeds from the livestock show went almost entirely toward the 4-H students, with a small portion going to cover show expenses.

“We’re very excited to host our first show in over 50 years,” said Erin Massie, Beaufort County 4-H Extension agent. “We only expect it to grow.”

Massie said there were more than 60 show participants at Tuesday’s event. Age groups included: cloverbud, ages 5-8; junior, ages 9-13; senior, ages 14-18.

Massie said the participants were a diverse group, from seasoned show contestants to first-time competitors, and low-income families to those from high-end neighborhoods.

“All together, our 4-H family,” she said.

Fifteen-year-old Shelby Mayo, of Pitt County, was a first-timer in the Senior Goat Showmanship division with her goat S’mores.

Mayo said she spent a lot of time practicing walking S’mores with a lead, bracing and keeping the goat’s legs and body in a straight line.

“I’ve been working with the goat for the past two months,” she said. “It’s a lot of work.”

Mayo, who took fifth place in the Senior Goat Showmanship division, said she was nervous before showing S’mores, but she wanted to participate because of her love for animals.

Beaufort County 4-H Extension agent Louise Hinsley said competitors have to remember to keep their animals’ heads facing the judge, never turning their own backs to the judge, while also answering questions about the parts of the animal, feeding it and the type of breed.

Ben Carpenter, with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, served as the judge. Lawrence Swain served as the auctioneer.

“They’ve had to work with them in order to be able to control them this much,” Hinsley explained.

With warm weather and a substantial crowd of viewers, this year’s 4-H show and sale was a success, thanks to the students, organizers, volunteers and sponsors.

After 50 years, coming home was long overdue.

For more photos from the 4-H Livestock Show and Sale, and for a full list of participants, see Thursday’s edition of the Daily News.