Gonzales County Youth Show kicks off Thursday at JB Wells

The Gonzales County Youth Show is back for a 71st year of providing opportunities to county youth to earn thousands of dollars in scholarship money, in addition to valuable lessons about life and hard work since 1955.

The show will be held this year from Feb. 27 through March 1 at the JB Wells Arena and Expo Center, 2301 CR 197, Gonzales. It is sponsored by the Gonzales County Youth Show Association.

More than 140 exhibitors are expected to participate in one or more of the 15 project areas that include multiple animal projects, a bake show, and an agricultural mechanics show. Students have spent anywhere from eight weeks to a full calendar year on these projects and are ready to showcase them to the community.

For the past four years, the community has raised more than $700,000 each year in scholarships for exhibitors.

In order to take part in the county show, an exhibitor must be a FFA or 4-H member in Gonzales County as of 5 p.m. Nov. 1, 2024. The exhibitor also must have a homestead in Gonzales County or attend a school in Gonzales County at the time of club registration and the animals must be housed in Gonzales County unless permission is otherwise granted. An exhibitor must also be enrolled in school and passing all subjects as of the most recent completed grading period and he or she may show in only one community/local/county show during the year.

Categories include steers, breeding heifers, market swine (barrow and gilts), breeding swine (gilts), market lambs (wethers and ewes), breeding lambs (ewes), market goats (wethers and does), breeding goats (does), market rabbits (pen of three), breeding rabbits (does), market broilers (pen of three), bucket calves, baked goods and ag mechanics.

Thursday, Feb. 27, is arrival, check-in and weigh-in for Swine from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and for Commercial Heifers from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Health Papers required at Check-in).

On Friday, Feb. 28, is arrival, check-in and weigh-in for Goats and Lambs from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., for Ag Mechanics from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., for Rabbits from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., and for Steers and Heifers from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (may be unloaded and stalled prior to weigh-in).

Judging begins at 8 a.m. Friday for Swine, followed by 9 a.m. Herdsman Interviews. At 10 a.m. will be judging for Lambs, Goats and Rabbits. Goats will begin 10 minutes after completion of Lamb Show while Rabbits will begin 10 minutes after completion of the Goat Show.

Commercial Heifer Awards with sale will take place at 6 p.m. Friday at the JB Wells Arena.

On Saturday, March 1, is arrival and check-in for Broilers from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., for Baked Goods from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and for Bucket Calves from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Judging Saturday begins for Broilers at 8 a.m., followed by Baked Goods at 9 a.m. and Steers at 9 a.m. followed by Halter Heifers. Bucket calves will begin 20 minutes after completion of the Cattle Show. Ag Mechanics judging also begins at 9 a.m.

There will be an auction from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (or when the maximum bid is reached) for Ag Mechanics projects and a silent auction of baked goods will end at 7 p.m.

From 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. is the Buyers Meal and Social Hour. Buyers, please be registered by 5 p.m. and have add-ons delivered to the office by 5:30 p.m. The sale of Market Animals begins at 6 p.m.

Gonzales County Youth Show Association directors include Mitchell Hardcastle, Kate Richter, Renee Rathmann, Cynthia Pape, Will Lamprecht, Liz Davis Zella, Bubba Ehrig, Steven Evans, Dillon Brown, Sequoya Janacek, Erin Lindemann-LaBuhn and John Hahn.