Breckenridge Texan

By Carla McKeown and Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan

The 2023 Stephens County Junior Livestock Show and Sale will kick off Thursday evening, Jan. 5, at the Stephens County Ag Center on U.S. Highway 180, east of Breckenridge. See the complete schedule below.

Workers started installing the new sign at the ag center in mid-December. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

This year, attendees to the SCJLS will be greeted by a new entryway sign over the road leading into the ag center. In October, the Stephens County Commissioners approved a request by the local Agricultural Association for the funds for the new sign. Stephens County requested and received money from the state’s Capital Credits fund and then approved the use of some of that money for the sign.

County Judge Michael Roach said the Capital Credits funds are limited in what they can be used for but that the new sign falls within the requirements. “This definitely falls within that statutory requirement for expenditures, and the Agricultural Association — the rodeo — is nonprofit organization,” he said. “I don’t know if y’all have been out there lately, but they’ve done a ton of work. It looks really, really good.”

The sign posts is still in the process of being installed. When finished, it will be lighted at night.

After the poles and words were put up, the painting began. The final work is still being done on the new sign. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Livestock Show

The annual livestock show will officially start Thursday, Jan. 5, with the weigh-ins of the rabbits, goats, sheep, swine and poultry, and will continue through the sale Saturday afternoon, Jan. 7. Thursday’s events also will include the check-in of the ag mechanics projects and the rabbit judging.

Friday’s schedule includes the weigh-in of the cattle; the judging of the poultry, sheep, goats, swine and cattle; the Pee Wee Show; and, the judging of the Ag Mechanics Projects. On Saturday, the SCJLS will continue with the interviews for the Herdsman Award, the  Jacob Jackson Master Showman competition, livestock judging contest and the floral design contest. The show will wrap up with the presentation of awards, the buyers luncheon and the sale.

All of the exhibitors must participate in the cleanup beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8.

For the complete list of times and events, see the “Schedule of Events” below.

The show is open to open to all active 4-H Club members who are at least 9 years old or were in the third grade on the day of the initial validations, or who are active FFA members in Stephens County and who are full time students in Stephens County but have not graduated from high school.

This year’s General Show Chairman is Jon Jackson.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday Jan. 5
 5 – 6 p.m.
Weigh in of Rabbits

5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Weigh in of Poultry

5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Weigh in of Goats
Weigh in of Sheep
Weigh in of Swine

5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Check in of Ag Mechanics Projects

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Judging of Breeding Rabbits

7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Judging of Market Rabbits

8:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
Judging of County Born and Bred Rabbits

8:45 – 9:15 p.m.
Judging of Rabbit Showmanship

Friday Jan. 6
8 – 9:00 a.m.
Judging of Poultry

9:30 a.m.
Judging of Ag Mechanics Projects

9:30 – 11 a.m.
Judging of Breeding Sheep
Judging of Market Sheep
Judging of County Born and Bred Sheep
Judging of Sheep Showmanship

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Judging of Breeding Goats
Judging of Market Goats
Judging of County Born and Bred Goat
Judging of Goat Showmanship

Noon – 1 p.m.
Weigh-in of Cattle

1:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Judging of Market Gilts
Judging of Market Barrows
Judging of County Born and Bred Swine
Judging of Swine Showmanship
Followed by the Pee Wee Show

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Judging of Breeding Cattle
Judging of Market Steers
Judging of County Born and Bred Cattle
Judging of Cattle Showmanship

Saturday Jan. 7
8 a.m.
Herdsman interviews (Seniors followed by juniors)

10 a.m.
Jacob Jackson Master Showman

11 a.m.
Livestock Judging Contest/Floral Design Contest
Presentation of awards immediately to follow

Noon
Buyers Luncheon

1 p.m.
Sale Begins

Sunday Jan. 8
1 p.m.
Mandatory Clean up

2019 SHOW OFFICIALS
Jon Jackson
General Show Chairman

Jim McKay
General Superintendent

Zach Shortes
Asst. General Superintendent

Marsee Fuller
General Show Secretary

Shelley Jackson
General Show Secretary

Superintendents:
Rabbit Superintendent: Eric Brennan
Poultry Superintendent: Nick Reynolds
Sheep Superintendent: Forrest Fuller
Goat Superintendent: Coby Wimberley
Swine Superintendent: Kenneth Alford
Cattle Superintendent: Mark Pugh
Ag Mechanics Superintendent: Tye Jackson
Floral Design Adviser: Cheylee Lucas

Executive Committee:
Kenneth Alford, Tye Jackson, Eric Brennan, Forrest Fuller, Nick Reynolds, Coby Wimberley, Mark Pugh, Marsee Fuller, Zach Shortes, Shelley Jackson, Jessie Shortes, Jon Jackson, Austin Hanna, Jim McKay, and Cheylee Lucas

Showmanship Division:
Co-Chairman: Glenda Knight
Co-Chairman: Sonya Morehart

Loading Committee:
Superintendent: Nick Reynolds
Committee Members: Eric Brennan, Forrest Fuller, Kenneth Alford, Mark Pugh and Coby Wimberley

4-H Advisers: Sumer Russell and Jessie Shortes

FFA Advisers: Austin Hanna and Cheylee Lucas

2023 Sale Committee:
Chairmen: Susan Shortes and Will Thompson
Committee Members: Kevin Simmons, Jonathan Newton and Luke Grider
Sale Secretaries: Glenda Knight and Sonya Morehart

Cutline, top photo: A welder is highlighted by the evening sun as he puts the finishing touches on a weld on the new entryway sign leading into the Stephens County Ag Center. The new entryway should be finished in time to welcome visitors to the 2023 Stephens County Junior Livestock Stock show, which runs January 5-7. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

The Breckenridge Texan is in the midst of our annual fundraising campaign with the national organization NewsMatch, and we still need $1,595 to reach our goal this year. Donations made through the end of December will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, by NewsMatch, and, if we meet our goal of $4,000 raised, we’ll get an additional match. That will triple every donation given to the Breckenridge Texan. The Breckenridge Texan is a non-profit news website covering Stephens County and Breckenridge, Texas, that depends on donations, as well as advertising, to continue our work. We appreciate your contributions. To make a donation, click here.