Upcoming Youth Livestock Events

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Several activities are coming up fast for youth involved in livestock and meats programs. These include the following, with links to web locations where details can be found.

Block & Bridle Club Livestock, Meats, and Stockmens Contests to be held on the VT campus March 14 & 15. Stockmens contest is Friday afternoon, Meats contest is Friday evening, and Livestock Judging is Saturday. Entry deadline is February 28. Contest details, including rules, schedule, and the entry form can be found at the 4H Livestock website, http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/livestock/index.html.

Youth Cattle Working Contests will be held in 3 regional events, and the top qualifying teams will participate in the state contest to be held at the Beef Expo. Those 3 regional events and locations are: Abingdon on March 29, Madison on April 5, and Dublin held on April 12. Entry deadline is March 20. Contest details, with rules, the entry form, and other background information about the contest can be found at the Beef Extension website, http://www.apsc.vt.edu/Extension/Extension.cfm?Page=Beef.

Virginia Beef Expo and Junior Beef Roundup are scheduled for April 18 & 19 at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds in Harrisonburg. The Beef Expo includes sales of breeding cattle, an excellent trade show, and exhibits and displays that promote beef. Included in the Beef Expo is the Junior Beef Roundup, consisting of shows featuring Virginia's junior beef breed associations and other activities. Two websites are available. The Beef Expo website (www.vabeefexpo.org) contains details of the overall event. Information about the youth shows, including schedule, entry forms, and contact information for the various breed associations, is at the 4H Livestock website, http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/livestock/index.html.

Advisors to the various junior beef breed associations serve as contact persons for their breed's show at the Beef Expo. Here is a list of those association contacts.

Simmental: Carol & Ernie Ambler
Rt 2 Box 331 A
Waynesboro, VA 22980
540/943-1562

Shorthorn: Cole Heizer
3412 Middlebrook Road
Staunton, VA 24401
540/885-3927
bheizer@ntelos.net

Hereford: Don Pullen
1512 Oakencroft Circle
Charlottesville, VA
22901-5453
434/295-6241
pullenhnfcattle@aol.com

Red Angus: Gabe Zepp
2650 Old Washington Road
Westminster, MD 21157
410/848-1018 (home)
410/386-2070 (work)
gzepp@ccg.carr.org

Angus: Mike Wieben
13847 Loyalty Rd
Leesburg, VA 20176
540/882-4071 (work)
540/882-3354 (home)

Virginia State Fair dates and location have been set for the next 3 years. The fair will continue to be held at the current location, the Richmond Raceway Complex, through 2005. Dates for these next 3 fairs are:
2003 - Thursday September 25 through Sunday October 5
2004 - Thursday September 23 through Sunday October 3
2005 - Thursday September 22 through Sunday October 2

Information about the State Fair, including tickets, competition rules, and entry forms, can be found at their website, which is www.statefair.com.