It’s that time of year again! Youth from all over Clarke County will be presenting their 4-H livestock projects in the Clarke County Junior Livestock Show and Sale.
All of the shows and sale will take place on Friday, January 9, at the multipurpose building in Quitman.
They’ll start the day out with the Special Needs Show at 9:00 that morning.
“We’re still doing a Special Needs Show. Everything is going to be done that Friday, and the Special Needs Show starts Friday morning at 9:00. Both schools have been invited,” explained Alan Hagwood, President of the Board of Directors for the Clarke County Junior Livestock Show and Sale. “It’s just a way for the program to give back to the community for the special needs kids. It gives our kids a chance to spend time with and give back to the special needs kids. We’ll show the small animals like goats and lambs, something they can handle safely. There may be some hogs out there too, but we typically don’t let them handle the larger stuff like cattle.”
The regular show will begin at 11:00 that morning. The program has grown and will have 18 kids showing animals this year. The barn will be filled with a little over 20 animals to be presented to the show judge.
“The livestock show is going to be Friday morning at 11:00,” continued Hagwood. “We’ll have four species there. We’ll have some hogs, a few goats, several lambs, and we’ll have a little bit of cattle there.”
Some exhibitors will be selling an animal in the sale starting at 7:00 that evening, following the buyers’ dinner.
“Just like every year, we’ll have our buyers’ dinner at 6:00 over in the annex building. Anybody that is a potential buyer is invited to come over and eat,” added Hagwood. “At 7:00, the sale will start. We’ll have Mr. Larry Sims here as the auctioneer. I think this is going to be his 45th year to be here in a row. Some of the animals that are going to be shown and sold have been shown around the state, and some of them have been successful in some of those shows. We’ll be selling eight hogs, three steer, and about six lambs and goats.”
All of the money collected from the sale of the animals benefits the students who have worked hard throughout the year to raise and train the animals.
“The kid is going to get all the money from the first time the animal sales on their premium check,” explained Hagwood. “Sometimes, the buyer donates that animal back to be sold a second time. The student would receive the full amount that the animal sold the first time, and then when it is sold again, we take the resale money and divide it up and place it on all the kids’ premium checks. Some of the kids put the money back to use on next year’s projects.”
There are other ways people are able to contribute without purchasing an animal as well. They will also have their annual cake sale. Again, all proceeds go back to the kids.
“The cake sales are big,” expressed Hagwood. “We have several ladies in the community that bake cakes and sell them. All of that is divided out amongst the kids. Sometimes, our buyers committee goes out and hits up businesses and individuals about coming to the sale. Sometimes, they’ll give support money that they want to go to all the kids. That money is put in on their premium checks.”
As usual, concessions will be available.
“The Cattlemen’s Association is going to come cook and work the concession stand for us this year,” informed Hagwood. “We’re going to split the profits 50/50. Half of the profits from concessions will go to the Cattlemen’s Association, and half of it will be split evenly on the kids’ premium checks. We’ll have burgers, hotdogs, soups, and chilis.”
The process to purchase and process an animal is simple for anyone who is interested in buying, and all of the animals are quality raised in the county.
“All anyone interested in buying has to do is show up knowing whatever amount they’re interested in spending. We sell by the head, so they will know the amount. When the animal reaches that amount, they don’t have to keep bidding if they don’t want to beat that amount anymore. It’s strictly by the head instead of by the pound like most livestock sales, so it makes it easier for the buyer to figure,” explained Hagwood. “Most families that have a market animal go ahead and reserve spots at a processor. The families are responsible for delivering the animals to the processor. The buyer’s information will be given to the processor, and the processor will contact them and get them to customize how they want the animal cut. The buyer pays the processing fee and picks it up when the animal is done. The purchase is tax deductible.”
If anyone has more questions about the upcoming show and sale or would like to become a buyer at the sale, contact the Clarke County Extension Office at 601-776-3951.
