Stock show fundraising begins

By Sam Waller

Preparations for the Shackelford Youth and Livestock Show are picking up speed as the 2023 event draws nearer.

Shackelford Youth and Livestock Association president Bronco Askew said fundraising letters have been sent out in advance of the show.

“We’re just in the process of going and doing,” Askew said. “Everything’s on go, and we’re just waiting to get there.”

Askew said money raised by the association is primarily for the benefit of exhibitors with some used for operating expenses if needed.

“The funds primarily go to the kids and if we have any repairs we have to do, but normally we’ve been pretty good on that,” he said. “The money designated to go in the bidders pool is based on a formula that was figured out years ago, and we’ve just stayed with it all these years.”

Askew said physical awards for the show are usually funded through other means.

“We try to get the belt buckles donated so that money doesn’t have to come out of the bidders pool,” he said. “The ribbons and other odds and ends usually come out of the entry money the kids pay.  Almost all of our money goes to the bidders pool.”

Askew said the association doesn’t have a fundraising target, but show organizers try to raise as much as possible.

“We go talk to people and see what we’ve got,;then we do our figures and go from there,” he said. “We’d love to have as much as we can get together. It is for the kids, and Albany’s always been good to their youth.”

That support has often been augmented by contributions from surrounding towns, Askew said.

“We’ve got towns that help us out on this,“ he said. “They like the way we do our sale. People who trade in Abilene or Breckenridge know, and those companies try to give to our stock show.”

Exhibitors are also helping with the fundraising effort by selling raffle tickets. Tickets for a chance to win a shotgun are $5 for one or $20 for five. Tickets for a processed hog are $1 for one or $5 for six.

Albany FFA adviser Chris Beard said his students are also staying busy as the show approaches. Work will include getting the county show barn ready with help from Shackelford County 4-H.

“We’re going to do our part during class periods after school starts back,” Beard said. “We’ll go out there and set up the gray pens in the ring and do some sweeping and cleaning.”

Beard said project animals made it through the recent cold snap with few problems.

“Everything went fine,” he said. “We just had minimal leaks. It looks like we’re going to have some pretty weather for the show.”