250+ entries readied for 2020 county stock show
By Kathy Thomson
Local FFA and 4-H exhibitors are expected to weigh in a total of 164 goats, lambs, and pigs at the Shackelford County Youth Livestock Show barn Thursday afternoon (today).
Unlike previous years, rabbits and poultry will not weigh in until Friday afternoon and will not show until Saturday.
Also new this year is a formal showmanship presentation. Although showmanship winners will be announced at the end of each judging category, the showmanship buckles will not be presented until shortly before the auction on Saturday.
In addition, all of the senior exhibitors will be recognized before the beginning of the premium sale.
The first class in the 2020 county livestock show will enter the arena at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 24.
Rabbit and poultry exhibitors will weigh in 78 entries on Friday afternoon, and cattle exhibitors will also check in 14 head of cattle on Friday, Jan. 24, to bring final registration numbers in this year’s show to 256, down 19 entries from last year.
Exhibitor numbers are also down from 2019, with 124 youth showing animals this year, 13 fewer than the 137 registered last year.
“We had a big graduating class last spring, and a lot of those kids showed several animals each,” said Albany FFA advisor Chris Beard.
Entries of sheep and pigs rose this year, and cattle numbers stayed the same. Poultry decreased by one pen, while rabbits and goat numbers dropped by larger margins.
This year, six pens of chickens are entered, 72 rabbits, 115 pigs, 29 goats, and 20 sheep. Last year’s numbers included seven pens of poultry, 81 rabbits, 109 swine, 48 goats, 16 sheep, and 14 head of cattle.
Nolan County extension agent Zachary Wilcox is scheduled to judge classes on Friday, and Stamford agriculture instructor Brad Bevel will return again this year to judge Saturday’s portion of the show.
Fundraising Continues
The targeted $20,000 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.
On Tuesday morning Cauble said that a total of $22,850 had been raised, almost $3,000 less than at the same time last year. 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, “and we encourage everyone to come to the sale on Saturday and bid on these kids.”
Those unable to attend the event personally are asked to send donations to tellers at First National Bank or First Financial Bank, or give them to association president Bronco Askew.
Donations can also be mailed 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
Exhibitors should note that weigh-in for poultry and rabbits will be on Friday instead of Thursday this year, although weigh-in times for goats, lambs, and pigs have not changed.
Goats, sheep, and swine weigh in on Thursday, Jan. 23 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Weigh-in of poultry and rabbits is on Friday, Jan. 24 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Cattle are scheduled to arrive at the show barn starting at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24. Heifer papers will be checked and steers will be weighed in from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. on the same afternoon, Friday, Jan. 24.
Friday 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 the sheep showmanship classes will conclude 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 doe rabbit class is next, followed by buck rabbits, market rabbits, then junior and senior rabbit showmanship classes.
Poultry classes and showmanship for junior and senior chicken exhibitors will follow the rabbit exhibitors.
The final class will be Pee Wee showmanship.
Showmanship buckles will be presented shortly before the premium auction, and then, new this year, seniors will be recognized right before the sale starts.
“I think the changes in the schedule this year will work great,” said Beard. “After we get all the sheep, goats, and pigs weighed in on Thursday, we can relax the rest of that evening. Meantime, folks showing lambs, goats, and swine will have a chance to wash them without having to work around classes trying to enter the ring.”
Beard expects to have enough time after the cattle classes for rabbits and poultry to be judged, showmanship buckles to be presented, and the seniors to be acknowledged without delaying the start of the sale.
Auction Schedule
The premium sale (auction) is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24.
The concession stand will have food available, and association members are hopeful that bidders will stay and contribute to the premium sale.
“We’ll be cutting it a little close with needing to add the poultry, rabbits, and cattle to the sale order on Saturday,” said Askew. “But we hope to be able to print copies of the sale order in time to start the auction at the scheduled time.”
Concession Stand
The concession stand will open at around 7:00 a.m. on show days.
“We’ll be open all day on Friday and Saturday,” said organizer Debra Boyett. “We’ll have breakfast, and then hamburgers, soup, and other items for lunch.”
Photo Schedule
Professional color photographs will once again be taken of exhibitors with their animals.
The photographs will be taken by Donnie Lucas, with the stock show association benefitting from the proceeds.
Lucas will set up on Friday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. for pigs, lambs, and goats, and on Saturday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. for cattle, rabbits, poultry, and all other photos.
Lucas will need pictures of all overall champions, reserve champions and showmanship winners for the special section in next week’s paper.
An association volunteer will man a table next to the photography area, and exhibitors or their parents should sign up if they want a photo taken. The pictures must be paid in advance.
The packages will be available for pickup in the county agent’s office 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.
The annual premium sale of projects is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. Saturday immediately following the showmanship buckle presentations and recognition of senior exhibitors.
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.
Two raffles will also raise money for the stock show association.
Michael Rabb and Cody Foster with Rust Processing Deer Plant have donated processing of a hog. Tickets for a chance at the processed pig are $1 each, or six tickets for $5.
A Savage Stevens 12 gauge Model 320 pump action shotgun will also be raffled off. Tickets for the shotgun raffle are $5 apiece, or five tickets for $20.
Final Preparations
“From what I’ve seen on the forecast, the weather should be nice this weekend,” said Beard, “and the kids are excited.”
The ag teacher added that he expects all of the exhibitors to display good showmanship and to help each other out.
“Everything is going pretty well, and we should be ready for the animals to start arriving on Thursday,” Askew concluded.
