Upcoming Youth Livestock Competitions

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State Fair of Virginia is scheduled for September 26 through October 6 at the fairgrounds in Richmond. The shows and contests for youth with beef cattle, sheep, and pigs is on the last weekend of the fair. The Junior Stockmens Contest is on Friday, October 4, and the shows for all three species are on Saturday and Sunday.

Deadline for livestock entries is August 15. This year there is a newly designed entry form for beef cattle, sheep, and pigs. It is located in the back portion of the Youth Livestock Competition Handbook, on pages 61-62. This handbook also includes all rules, classes, and premiums offered for each of the youth shows. If you need a copy of this handbook contact the State Fair at 804/228-3200, or better yet, go online at www.statefair.com. The entire competition handbook is available for viewing on line or downloading so you can print the section you desire.

A couple of changes from last year will be noticed. First of all, Beef Cattle show entries are to be mailed to Dr. Mark Wahlberg, APSC 0306, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Youth Sheep show entries need to be sent to Dr. Scott Greiner, APSC 0306, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Market Hog show entries are still sent to the State Fair at PO Box 26805, Richmond, VA 23261-6805. There is a $7.00 participation fee per exhibitor that is to be paid only one time for the shows and contests held on the fairgrounds at the same time. Finally, a new premium schedule has been developed for Breeding Cattle and Breeding Sheep. It is a sliding scale schedule, with higher premiums awarded for larger class sizes.

The Stockmens Contest entry deadline is later. Those entries must be postmarked by September 13. The entry information will be mailed to FFA teachers and Extension offices directly. It is a different form than the one in the State Fair Competition Handbook. A copy of the 2002 entry form is included in this newsletter, and available at the 4H Livestock website (see below). There are no changes in the contest format from last year. A $7.00 participation fee is required for each contestant that has not already paid this fee for another show that occurs at the State Fair at the same time.

Information that will be helpful in training for the Stockmens Contest, as well as entry information, can be found at the 4H Livestock website. The site address is http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/livestock.

Another excellent Stockmens Contest is held in conjunction with the Keystone International Livestock Exposition (KILE). This event is always scheduled to include the first Saturday in October, and the 2002 dates are October 2-7 at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA. On the last day, Monday, October 7, will be a Stockmens Contest for contestants who are at least 13 but not yet 19 as of January 1, 2002. Detailed information can be obtained from the Chariman, Linda Spahr, Penn State Extension, 112 Pleasant Acres Road, York, PA 17402-9041 or from the KILE office at 2301 North Cameron St, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408. The website for the KILE is http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Agriculture/bureaus/farm_show/kile/index.html. This event is under the guidance and leadership of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, whose website is www.pda.state.pa.us.