Photo courtesy of the Center for Coalfield Justice During the weekend of Feb. 21-23, the Greene County Fairgrounds hosted the eighth annual West Virginia University Block & Bridle Bonanza. The event was a cattle jackpot show which was hosted by the WVU’s Block & Bridle Club, which was formed in the beginning of 2025.
“The group was formed to create consistency and longevity of the event. The WVU Block & Bridle Club volunteers to help execute the event,” said one of the members of the Block & Bridle Alumni Association, who requested to not be mentioned specifically. “The Block and Bridle Club is a collegiate organization primarily focused on promoting a deeper understanding of animal science among students, providing opportunities to learn about different aspects of animal agriculture through hands-on experiences, networking with industry professionals and fostering a community for those interested in pursuing careers related to animal husbandry.”
Even though the fairgrounds were used for the three days, the events were actually on Saturday and Sunday. Friday served as the check-in day for all the cattle that participated in the showmanship.
“We provided an opportunity for youth exhibitors and breeders to exhibit through cattle in the Heifer and Steer show,” said another member of the Block & Bridle Club, who also requested to not be named. “We also have a showmanship event, which challenges exhibitors to highlight the animal to the best of ability and involves knowing the skills of the show ring.”
The showmanship took place on Saturday, Feb. 22, right after the Breeding Heifer show which had begun at around 9:00 a.m. As soon as the showmanship ended, more livestock arrived for the check-in for the Market Animal Show, which took place the following day to wrap-up the weekend.
“Waynesburg, PA was selected based on the close proximity to Morgantown, WV. Greene County Fairgrounds is located conveniently off I-79. The location is central to many states that actively show livestock such as Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia. Greene County is the home county fairgrounds for 2 of the founding members, ” said the first individual.
Due to the early and long days at the fairgrounds, there were opportunities to grab food and drinks as morning rush and Greene County Livestock Association served breakfast, lunch and dinner.