Stock show to get underway this Thursday
Local FFA and 4-H exhibitors are expected to weigh in a total of 261 chickens, rabbits, goats, lambs, and pigs at the Shackelford County Youth Livestock Show barn Thursday afternoon (today), and the first class in the 2019 county livestock show will enter the arena at 7:00 p.m. tonight, Jan. 31.
Cattle exhibitors will check in 14 head of cattle on Friday, Feb. 1, to bring final registration numbers in this year’s show to 275, down 43 entries from last year.
Exhibitor numbers are also down from 2018, with 137 youth showing animals this year, 38 fewer than last year.
Entries of several species rose slightly, but chicken, rabbit, and cattle numbers dropped by larger margins.
This year, seven pens of chickens are entered, 81 rabbits, 109 pigs, 48 goats, and 16 sheep. Last year’s numbers included 16 poultry, 118 rabbits, 105 swine, 46 goats, 12 sheep, and 21 head of cattle.
“Everything seems to be in good shape,” said SCYLA president Bronco Askew. “Everyone is doing their duties, and fundraising is coming along. Of course, we always want more donations to help fund the bidders pool.”
Fundraising Continues
The targeted $18,000 needed to cover basic costs has been reached, according to association treasurer Molly Cauble. These funds pay for prize buckles, plaques, ribbons, and other awards, along with judges’ fees and other operating expenses, premium monies, and a minimum amount for the bidders pool at the 4-H and FFA show.
On Tuesday morning Cauble said that a total of $25,600 had been raised for the event, and donations are still being accepted for the bidders pool.
“You can swing by and turn in your donation at the show even if you did not get it sent in before then,” Cauble said. “The participants have worked hard with their projects. We want to encourage everyone to come to the sale on Saturday and bid on these kids.”
Those interested in contributing to the 2019 show but unable to attend the event personally are encouraged to send donations to tellers at First National Bank, or First Financial Bank, or to association president Bronco Askew.
Donations can also be given to Molly Cauble, SCYLA, PO Box 2439, Albany TX 76430.
All donations are tax deductible and should be made payable to the Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Show.
Weigh In Times
Weigh-in of poultry and rabbits is on Thursday, Jan. 31 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Goats, sheep, and swine weigh in on Thursday, Jan. 31 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Cattle are scheduled to arrive at the show barn between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 1. Heifer papers will be checked and steers weighed in from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. that afternoon.
Thursday Classes
Retired Haskell ag instructor Justin Cox will judge the Thursday evening classes again this year.
The doe rabbit class is scheduled to start the show, on Thursday, Jan. 31, at 7:00 p.m., followed by buck rabbits, market rabbits, then junior and senior rabbit showmanship classes.
Poultry classes and showmanship for junior and senior chicken exhibitors will finish out Thursday evening.
Friday Classes
Stamford ag teacher Brad Bevel will evaluate the swine, goat, and sheep. He will return on Saturday to place cattle classes.
Friday’s judging starts at 8:00 a.m. with various gilt classes, then multiple barrow divisions, followed by the junior and senior swine showmanship competitions.
Goats follow the swine, with does exhibited in the ring first, then wethers, and then junior and senior goat showmanship.
Breeding ewes enter the ring next, market lambs follow, and then Bevel will select the sheep showmanship winners at the conclusion of Friday’s portion of the stock show.
Saturday Classes
Heifer classes start at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. Steers are shown next.
The cattle exhibitors called back to the ring will compete for the junior and then the senior cattle showmanship belt buckles.
The final class will be Pee Wee showmanship.
Auction Schedule
The premium sale (auction) is scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2.
“I don’t know how it will go, without the barbecue meal, but we are going to try it this year,” said the president. “We adjusted some of the classes, so all of the junior and senior showmanship classes follow the species.”
The concession stand will have food available, and association members are hopeful that bidders will stay and contribute to the premium sale.
“We hope to have most of the sale lined out on Friday evening, and then just add the cattle on Saturday after the classes,” said Askew. “But we will still have to run off copies and that takes a little time.”
Cauble helped put the sale together last year, and she will be in charge of organizing the sale catalog this year, according to Askew.
“Molly has been a real lifesaver to us,” he said. “She’s been our treasurer, but last year she had to learn how to set up the sale for us as well.”
Concessions
The concession stand will open its windows to serve the public at around 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, open each morning before the show begins, stay open until the show winds down each day, and close after the auction concludes on Saturday, according to one of the organizers, Debra Boyett.
The concession stand will be open Thursday evening, Friday, and Saturday.
Menu items include hamburgers, grilled cheese, chicken enchilada soup, taco soup, chili, beans and corn bread, curly fries, banana pudding, chocolate cake, and whoopie pies.
Breakfast burritos and sausage biscuits will be sold on Friday and Saturday mornings.
Photo Schedule
Professional color photographs will once again be taken of exhibitors with their animals. Each participant can purchase a 5x7 for $10, an 8x10 for $15 or a package with a 5x7 and an 8x10 for $20. The photographs will be taken by Donnie Lucas, with the stock show association benefitting from the proceeds.
Lucas will set up on Thursday night from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. for rabbits and poultry, on Friday from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. for pigs, lambs, and goats, and on Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. for cattle and all other photos.
The paper will need pictures of all overall champions, reserve champions, and showmanship winners for the special section in next week’s issue.
There will be a table manned by an association volunteer in the photography area, and exhibitors or their parents should sign up if they want photos, which must be paid in advance.
The packages will be available for pickup in the in the Courthouse by the end of February.
Auction Facts
Now that the annual show is almost underway, the main focus for stock show organizers is gathering a large number of bidders for Saturday’s auction.
“Everyone is invited out,” said Askew.
The annual premium sale of projects is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. Saturday immediately following the cattle classes and the pee-wee showmanship.
The bidders pool monies are divided among the projects entered in the sale, using a formula based on weight.
After the floor price, or market price per pound, is established, various packers arrange for actual purchase of the animals. Any bids received at the sale, are added on top of the floor price.
Association rules state that flat $3, $5 and $10 increments will be used in the “add-on” bidding, rather than amounts per pound.
Rabbits and poultry projects will be raised at $3 for each bid, while sheep, swine and goats will be bid at $5 increments. Steers and heifers are raised $10 with each bid.
Anyone planning to bid during the sale should register for a bidder’s card prior to the auction.
Packers purchase many of the projects, but a few pigs are usually available for purchase by individuals.
Those interested in buying a hog should contact Albany ag instructor Chris Beard, or stop by the office at the show barn before 9:00 a.m. on Friday.
Other Fundraisers
In addition to supporting the county youth through donations and the bidding process, local residents are encouraged to eat a meal or two at the concession stand at the show barn.
Two raffles will also raise money for the stock show association.
Jerry Lancaster with Deep Creek Processing in Moran has donated processing of a pig. Tickets for a chance at the processed pig are $1 each, or six tickets for $5.
Schooler and Associates has donated a 20 gauge shotgun. Tickets for the shotgun raffle are $5 apiece, or five tickets for $20.
Changes From 2018
The auction will begin two hours earlier than in recent years, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2.
There will not be a barbecue lunch this year, but concession stand options will be available.
Junior and senior showmanship classes immediately follow each respective species.
