Alabama Junior Livestock Expo Draws Record Number of Participants

The stock market may be down, but things are looking up for the Alabama Junior Livestock Expo. An animal scientist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System says this year looks to have record numbers of participants.

“We are expecting more than 250 young people from 43 counties to participate at the Expo,” says Bob Ebert. “That’s the most counties we have had participate in t10 years.”

The Alabama Junior Livestock Expo will be March 5 to 8 at Montgomery’s Garrett Coliseum Complex.

“These young competitors will have the opportunity to showcase their animals and themselves,” he says.

The State Steer Show, considered by many to be the premiere event of the Junior Livestock Expo, begins at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 6 in the Coliseum. Winners in the Steer Ultrasound Evaluation, being held on Thursday, March 5 at 1 p.m. in the Creative Living Building, will be announced at the State Steer Show. In the ultrasound steer show, the winning steer is chosen based on the results of an ultrasound evaluation of the steer's carcass.

2008 Champion Steer with Exhibitor Skye Black of Chambers County

On Saturday, March 7, visitors will have the chance to see Beef Showmanship competitions in the Teague Arena, starting at 8 a.m.

“We may have the biggest rookie showmanship competition that we have ever had this year,” says Ebert. Rookie showmanship classes are for young people who are showing for the first time at the Alabama Junior Livestock Expo.

Finally, on Sunday, the youth competition returns to the Coliseum for the Heifer and Steer Breed shows. That competition gets underway at 12:30.

Ebert notes that the March competitions have changed significantly in the more than 80 years that young people have been showing animals in Montgomery.

“It began as a market steer show,” he says. “The first heifer show was held in 1993, and now competitors show almost twice as many heifers as they do steers.”

In addition to show ring events, county teams will have the chance to compete in quiz bowl competitions. Similar to the television game show, “Jeopardy,” young people will battle each other and a clock to answer the most questions correctly about beef cattle. About 20 teams will participate in the Beef Quiz Bowl.

Ebert says the rewards of participating in youth livestock programs and events go far beyond the ribbons, trophies and scholarships the young people win.

“These competitors develop skills and abilities they will use for the rest of their lives. They learn about responsibility, sportsmanship and time management. The animal depends on the youngster to provide for its needs and that builds maturity in the young person. Young people also learn the importance of being considerate of fellow competitors and judges, even when they may not win.”

Posted by lawremc at March 2, 2009 01:24 PM | TrackBack