Our county youth fair takes place in early March each year. We are thankful for the Wise County Youth Fair board, the Wise AG Syndicate, Champions & Blue Ribbons Club, the Paradise Buyers Association, and the Paradise Ag Supporters for all they do for the youth of Wise County. We have the best group of 4-H Extension Agents and FFA Advisors supporting everyone as well. 

Wise County Youth Fair 2024 Results:

**Both kids earned a spot in the Premium Sale in 2024!

Division Champion English Steer (Hereford)- James

Market Steer Senior Showmanship Champion- Caroline

Bronze Champion Light OPB barrow (York)- James

2nd Place Euro Cross Steer (Limousin)- Caroline

3rd Place Euro Cross Steer- James

4th Place Euro Cross (American)- Caroline

4th Place Hampshire barrow- Caroline

2nd Place Cross barrow- James

Top 10 Barrow Senior Showmanship- Caroline

Top 7 Senior Steer Showmanship- James

4-H Food Contest: 

-James: 2nd place apple pie, 3rd place cookie bars, 6th place Texas-themed Pecan bars

-Caroline: 3rd place choc chip cookies, 3rd place bundt cake, 5th place lemon loaf quick bread. 

Wise County Youth Fair 2023 results:

**Both kids made sale in 2023!

Division Champion English Steer- Caroline

Reserve Division Champion English Steer- James

3rd Place American Steer- Caroline

3rd Place European Steer- James

Market Steer Jr Showmanship Champion- James

2nd place Duroc- James

4th Place Hamp- James

4th Place Crossbred- Caroline

5th Place York- Caroline

4-H Food contest 2nd Place Apple Pie- James 

WCYF 2022 results:

**Both kids earned a spot in the Premium Sale this year!

Breed Champion Yorkshire barrow/1st Place- Caroline

Reserve Breed Champion Duroc barrow/1st Place- Caroline

Breed Champion Duroc barrow/1st Place- James

5th place American steer- Caroline

4-H Food contest, 3rd Place Carrot Cake- Caroline

4-H Food contest, 1st Place Apple Pie- James

www.fwssr.com

This thing is truly legendary!  FWSSR takes place January 12 to February 3, 2024. Junior livestock show dates can be found here in the official guide.

The Fort Worth stock show is our first major show each season, taking place from mid-January into February. It's our "home show", right in our backyard... well, about 40 minutes away. We've attended as visitors for almost 30 years, and as livestock exhibitors for 12 years. Our kids both placed in the Top 6 here with their barrows a few years ago, and my son placed 11th in 2022. We've only shown steers here twice. We are hopeful our hard work pays off in 2024!

The weather is always tricky, as this is the official winter season in Texas. Wrangling a 275 pound barrow, or a 1200 pound steer through ice and sleet is interesting, to say the least! The shopping is fantastic, the venues for different events are all close together, and the food options are great. There is a carnival for the kids, but the weather doesn't always cooperate. We love this show due to the traditions-- bad weather, lots of familiar faces, close to home, eating at Reatta,  and buying too many hoodies and the occasional new cowboy hat. 

www.sanangelorodeo.com

San Angelo Livestock events take place starting January 24 and run thru April 20, 2024, with a break in the action from Feb 19 to April 4. The 2024 Premium book can be found here. 

We have shown pigs and steers at San Angelo since 2021. The steer show usually takes place the week before the pig show, which is helpful if you show both species. The weather is usually pretty bad, as it's early to mid-February in Texas (read= ICE) and in the western part of the state. It's a smaller show, with the rodeo taking place after all of the livestock events are over, so the crowds are manageable. 

www.sarodeo.com

San Antonio stock show takes place from February 8 thru February 25, 2024. The premium book is linked here.

We had a great show at San Antonio in 2024. Steers did not place, but Caroline placed 9th with her Yorkshire Barrow. In 2023, James placed 10th in his class with his dark cross barrow. San Antonio is our kids' favorite show. The weather is generally nice since you are further south than the first three shows. The venue is pretty laid back, with small barns for each species and a study area for students. The carnival midway is smallish so is pretty manageable during the week (weekends are crazy!) and they have great food vendors. 

www.rodeohouston.com

The world's largest stock show and rodeo takes place February 27 thru March 17, 2024. The premium book is linked here. In the picture above, Caroline is shown talking with dignitaries from Puerto Rico, who stopped and asked her questions about raising and showing steers.

The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is the largest stock show, boasting over 2 million visitors and over 30,00 entries in three categories (Open show, Junior show, and Youth show). It is held at the NRG Center in the heart of Houston. NRG Center is just HUGE, with all species of livestock, and shopping, and food all in one building, which makes for a ton of walking. It is very well organized and the building is newish, it's not an old barn like many of the shows. It's clean, and usually HOT, as you are close to the gulf coast in mid-March. There's lots of shopping and food. And lots and lots of people-- over 2.4 million in 2023 alone! Parking is tough, and you gotta get there pretty darn early in the morning to even be anywhere close to the building.  

www.rodeoaustin.com

Rodeo Austin take place March 8 thru March 23, 2024. Premium book linked here. 

Rodeo Austin is a fun show, my favorite one. The barrow show is the last show of the season, with steers taking place two weeks before barrows-- with the Houston barrows and steers shoe-horned in the middle lol. Barrows at Rodeo Austin must be Texas bred, and we do not have one for 2024 so we'll just make it to the steer show.

Caroline had a great outcome at the barrow show in Austin in 2023, she placed 10th in her class with her dark cross. Like I said, Austin is my favorite major stock show, it has the vibe of a large county fair. Very laid back, smaller venue, big carnival area with food trucks and picnic tables. We are usually tired and ready to be done with show season by the time we make it there for barrows, so it's nice to have a laid back atmosphere. 

www.bigtex.com

The State Fair of Texas in Dallas, TX runs September through late October. In the picture above, Caroline is shown in her role as a Texas Youth Livestock Ambassador working the Livestock 101 booth at the State Fair, helping families and kids learn about raising, caring for, and exhibiting livestock. Caroline placed 9th with her barrow in 2024. 

I love the feel of showing at the historic State Fair, the barns have been there since the 1950's, there's the tradition of the Midway, Fletcher's corny dogs, the historic football match-ups of Texas VS OU and Grambling State VS Prarie View A&M. However, we only show at the State Fair periodically since it takes place in the fall and means we would have pigs and steers year round without a break. I highly suggest all show families experience the State Fair at least once; in the evening after you finish showing, the fairgrounds are usually not crowded so you get to have a little fun after putting in all the work. And parents, there's nothing better than trying to pull a 24' long gooseneck trailer through the streets of old Dallas!

The West Texas Fair & Rodeo takes place in Abilene in early September. This was our first year to show there, and kids took their steers. It is a laid back atmosphere with a small rodeo and carnival.

James placed 5th with his Hereford and Caroline placed 7th with her red & white American. 

The Texas National Stock Show takes place in Wichita Falls in late December, and is a swine show. 2023 was our first year to show there. They have both prospect and market categories for gilts and barrows. The venue is great, one of the best we've visited-- a huge barn that is heated, has clean bathrooms, great food vendors, and offers a corn hole play area for kids and then a tournament for adults. It was very well managed overall. Keep in mind that pen space is at a premium; they auction off reserved pens and the buyers can purchase as many pens as they want, so large teams typically purchase entire rows. Just be aware of this so you know to get in as early as possible to grab enough open pens. We'll definitely be back to this one!

In 2023, Caroline placed 7th with her prospect cross barrow.

Jackpot shows are a great way to get experience in the ring for both the kids and the animals. We do not jackpot often with our barrows, but we try to take our steers to several shows in the late fall so they are accustomed to riding in the trailer, being in unfamiliar territory, and hearing new sounds around them. With jackpots, you have to remember that your pig or your steer is usually still young and does not present as he will when full grown and ready for a major show. Sometimes you get feedback from a judge that makes you want to change your feeding plan, or your exercise plan, but remember, you're not dialing that animal in for a jackpot show; you may still have months to go before he's ready for that major show ring. All shows are just "one man's opinion", but don't let an early season jackpot judge cause you to doubt your hard work or lose your confidence.

We have had a great 2024 steer jackpot season, with 2 American Division Grand Champions, multiple 1st and 2nd places, and spots in the grand drive.  We give all the glory to God for letting us live this life!