Validation deadline set Aug. 15
By Kathy Thomson
Albany High agriculture teacher Chris Beard said that Albany students will exhibit steers, heifers, goats, and pigs at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo in Abilene, which runs Sept. 5-14, and those entries are due today.
Junior livestock show entries must be submitted through the student’s local FFA instructor or county agent, and Thursday, Aug. 15 is the deadline to register for the fair.
Local 4-H students should contact Beard or Moran FFA advisor Matthew Hise to submit their entries because former Shackelford County agent Michaela Bradford resigned recently to accept a job at AISD, and the county extension service post is currently vacant.
State Fair Deadline
The State Fair of Texas will be underway in Dallas Sept. 27 through Oct. 20, and local livestock exhibitors that are hauling to the show need to turn in their entries to Beard by Thursday, Aug. 22.
Sheep/Goat Validation
Shackelford County students who intend to take sheep or goats, either breeding or market animals, to the major shows and/or the county show need to order their validation tags by Aug. 25 for $15 per tag, or pay a late fee of $25 per tag for tags ordered between Sept. 1 and Oct. 25.
“I need to have validation tag orders turned in to me by Aug. 25 so I can get our paperwork in on time,” Beard said. “And I need all State Fair entries turned in by Aug. 22. We have students planning to take steers, heifers, goats, and pigs to the State Fair.”
Animals that were validated for the State Fair will need to be re-validated to be eligible for the winter and spring shows, according to Beard.
Heifer Validation
“Any new heifers not already validated must have their tags ordered by Sept. 15,” said Beard.
Annual Pig Sale
The annual First Impressions pig sale, one of the major fundraisers of the year, has been scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 15 at the county show barn.
Youth interested in agriculture can join FFA if they are in a high school agriculture class, or join 4-H if they are between eight and 18 years of age.
