Livestock sale to reward FFA, 4-H students for work
By JIMMY GALVAN Managing Editor

After a year of hard work, Jasper County 4-H and FFA members will see the fruits of their labor this Friday and Saturday at the Junior Livestock Show and Sale.

Students have been working with their show animals for 10 months to prepare them for the show at the livestock barn on Hwy. 777 across from the Jasper County Airport.

"We have had kids working with their projects since last spring," said Jasper County 4-H Agricultural Agent Ricky Thompson.

He pointed out that some projects, such as the steers, have been a work in progress for the past 10 months while swine projects have four to six months of work put into them.

"The kids have been working on their projects on a daily basis and now is the time to bring them out for show," Thompson said. "It's not just the monetary value of the projects but these kids work with these projects and learn responsibility on a daily basis."

He expects more than 200 entries for this show with only the top 20 animals in each division making the sale.

On Friday, March 30, the show will begin with rabbit and broiler check in from 7- 8 a.m. with broiler judging and showmanship set from 8-9 a.m.

Rabbit judging and showmanship and open breeding rabbit show will be from 8-10 a.m.

Swine check in will be from 8-10 a.m. while goat check in will be from 10-11 a.m.

Thompson pointed out that the swine show is the biggest show this year with more than 80 entries.

"It is more than double of our last year's numbers," Thompson said. "In years past it was our most competitive show and this year is no different."

Goat judging and showmanship will be from 1-3 p.m. while swing judging and showmanship will be from 5-8 p.m.

On Saturday, March 31, lamb and steer check in will be from 7-8 a.m. 4-H Clover Kids showing their different animals will be from 8-9 a.m. while lamb judging and showmanship will be from 9-10 a.m.

Steer judging and showmanship will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon while open junior breeding beef show will be from noon to 1 p.m.

The scramble heifer show will be from 1-3 p.m. while the Ag mechanics project show will be from 1:30-2:30 p.m. The presentation of scholarship recipients will be held at 3:30 p.m.

At 4 p.m., the culmination of the show will begin with the livestock auction with Charles "Junior" Shofner as auctioneer.

Last year, the show came on the heels of Hurricane Rita tearing a path through Jasper County. Many participants lost their show animals during the hurricane while others had to battle through to make the sale.

"We are expecting things to be more prosperous this year," Thompson said. "Last year, everybody was getting over and getting beyond Rita and right now, we are hoping for a sale that is good for the kids.

"Businesses and industries are doing good right now so we are hoping for a good sale," Thompson said. "The kids take the funds from the sale and set their sights on going off to college. This just helps those kids get on their way."

He said that there are a lot of new participants to the show arena this year and that is a positive sign.

"We like to see the young kids because that means the program is still growing," Thompson said.