Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall, right, presents Colquitt County FFA member Libba Dykes with her $5,000 scholarship and grand champion belt buckle for exhibiting the 2025 Georgia Junior National Market Beef Animal Grand Champion as Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper offers congratulations. Dykes was honored along with other state grand champions during the Evening of Champions dinner hosted by GFB June 13 in Macon. (Photo courtesy Georgia Farm Bureau)

MACON, Ga.  – Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) honored Colquitt County FFA member Libba Dykes during a dinner the organization hosted June 13 at its Macon headquarters for the 11 students who won grand champion awards at the 2024 State 4-H & FFA Market Goat & Lamb Show and the 2025 Georgia Junior National Livestock Show.

Dykes showed a Charolais steer selected as the 2025 Georgia Junior National Market Beef Grand Champion at the 2025 Georgia Junior National Livestock Show held in Perry Feb. 22. As the grand champion, Dykes received a $5,000 scholarship and belt buckle sponsored by GFB.

The grand champions were invited to bring their family, friends and county Extension agent or FFA advisor to the GFB Evening of Champions. The event was designed to celebrate the grand champions and their support teams for their accomplishments. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and GFB President Tom McCall spoke at the dinner.

“Tonight is a celebration of grit, heart and the agricultural spirit that drives these remarkable young people,” McCall said. “Each of these grand champion exhibitors has spent countless hours feeding, grooming, walking and practicing with their livestock, often long before sunrise or after a full school day.”

Dykes, who has been showing livestock for eight years, also shows goats and pigs. She is the daughter of Wes and Alison Weaver Dykes of Moultrie.

She was a seventh grader at Willie J. Williams Middle School when she won the award earlier this year. Chad Bass and Britney Gibbs are Libba’s FFA advisors.