It’s that season again when the Harvest Festival and Livestock Show take center stage!
Critical aspects of preparing for the show include feeding, cleaning, grooming, and exercising, all of which play a vital role in a young person’s experience in the actual show arena. While these tasks might not always be glamorous or enjoyable, they instill valuable life skills in youth, making them integral contributors to their families and boosting their self-esteem.
Taking the extra time to dry a goat’s hair to prevent it from getting cold and sick or tending to the barn at dusk, feeding, and ensuring the animals are in good condition are duties that teach children independence and responsibility in the world beyond.
Numerous young individuals in the area are diligently preparing themselves and their animals for the Harvest Festival and Livestock Show. County shows like this week’s Harvest Festival Livestock Show offer 4-H and FFA members the opportunity to develop responsibility and unwavering dedication. Today, youth are several generations removed from agriculture, often failing to grasp the significance of agriculture and its impact on their daily lives.
This annual event, which began in 1974, making this the 50th Annual Livestock Show, is dedicated to providing today’s youth with educational experiences across various project areas, including livestock, agricultural mechanics, and home economics projects. The event will be held Oct. 22-26 in Longview.
At the end of each day, a young person who participates in livestock shows is gaining valuable life skills not only by caring for a live animal, agricultural mechanics, or home economics projects but also by maintaining a sense of structure, discipline, and project completion that is unparalleled in any other form of competition. Indeed, showing livestock teaches responsibility.
Throughout this journey of learning and dedication, participants also handled time management, responsibility, and meticulous record-keeping to maintain an accurate account of the expenses incurred in raising their projects. This includes the costs of materials for construction, creating dishes, housing the projects, and accounting for feed and healthcare for the animals. It’s an enormous undertaking, and the participants are fully committed to the challenge!
ScheduleTuesday, Oct. 22
9 a.m.: Speech Contest (Maude Cobb Convention Center, 100 Grand Blvd., Longview)
1 p.m.: Poultry Show; Roaster show followed by Broiler show
Wednesday, Oct. 23
8 a.m.: Rabbit weigh-in/check-in/show
Thursday, Oct. 24
9 a.m.: Market Swine judging
10 a.m.: to noon Home Economics judging
Noon: Ag Mechanics judging
2 p.m.: Public Viewing of Home Economics Divisions.
Friday, Oct. 25
8:30 a.m.: Lamb Show followed by Goat Show
2 p.m.: Market Steer Show
Saturday, Oct. 26
6:30 to 7:30 a.m.: Prospect Steer and Heifer Show Check-In
8:30 a.m.: Heifer Jackpot Show followed by Prospect Steers
5 p.m.: Buyers Dinner
6 p.m.: Sale of Champions
Show season is certainly the highlight of the year, and we invite you to join us in supporting the youth during the show and at the Sale of Champions, where each participant will proudly display the results of their hard work and unwavering dedication. For more information, visit www.harvestfestivallivestockshow.com/schedule.