Quality Counts Requirement for Major Stock Shows

Major Livestock Shows in Texas now require all exhibitors to have Quality Counts certification when you enter major livestock shows. If you plan to show any species of livestock at Fort Worth, San Antonio, San Angelo, Houston or Star of Texas Livestock Shows in the spring of 2013, you MUST complete the Quality Counts training and obtain your certification number. Major show entries are due in the Extension office November 6 - 8, and you must have your certification number at that time to put on the entry cards. If your number is not on your entry card, the livestock shows will reject your entry. Go to http://qualitycounts.tamu.edu to begin your Quality Counts training today. Don't wait until the last minute!

Major Livestock Show Entries Due

The livestock show entry deadline for the Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, San Angelo and Star of Texas Livestock Shows will be November 6, 7, and 8 in the County Extension office.  Put these dates on your calendar to come in to pick up entry forms and fill them out.  REMEMBER, if you validate an animal, it does not automatically sign you up for a major show. You must come to the office to fill out entry forms and pay entry fees to be officially entered in a major stock show.   DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST DAY AT 4 P.M. TO COME IN, PLEASE!

You must have the exhibitor's Social Security Number and their Quality Counts verification number to complete stock show entry forms.

Bastrop Area Livestock Show Enrollment Deadline

All 4-H members who wish to show in the Bastrop Area Livestock Show must  be enrolled in 4-H on the 4-H Connect System by November 1.  If you enroll after that date, you will not be eligible to show in the Bastrop Area Livestock Show.  If you know of friends or family that plan to show but have not enrolled, please tell them to do so as soon as possible.  The cost to enroll in 4-H is $20 per child by October 31, and it increases to $25 per child on November 1.

4-H youth must also sign in at the 4-H club meetings they attend in order to be eligible to show.  They must attend 1/2 of their club meetings from November 1 to the show date (March 1, 2013) to be eligible to show.  Attendance will be checked after the February meetings.

Smithville LIvestock Show Validation

Smithville Show validation for steers, lambs, boats, broilers, heifers and rabbits will be held November 6 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Smithville Ag. Barn.  Entry fees are $20 per head or pen validated, and are due at this time.  No late entries will be accepted.  See the 2012 Smithville Show Rules for more information.

Major Show Hog Validation

If you plan to exhibit a hog at the 2013 Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, San Angelo or Star of Texas Livestock Shows, you will need to hog validation on November 27 at the Smithville High School Ag. Shop from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. We will read ear notches, eartag and take hair samples on each animal. A parent must be present with you, as we need original signatures on all validation forms that night. This is the only date for hog validation, therefore if you have a conflict, make arrangements with someone to haul your animal to validation.

4-H Hog Project Workshop

There will be a joint Bastrop/Caldwell Co. 4-H Swine Project Workshop on Tuesday, October 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Caldwell County Fairgrounds in Lockhart (at Highway 20 and Blackjack Street).  Chuck Real, renowned hog breeder from Seguin will discuss selection, feeding, health and nutrition and working with your hog to prepare for show.  There is no cost to attend this program.   If you would like to bring your hog to weigh them and having them evaluated this program, please call the Extension office to let us know to make sure there is enough pen space.  If you have any questions, please call the Extension office.

Reminder- Goat Project Workshop

There will be a joint Bastrop/Caldwell Co. 4-H Goat Project Workshop on Sunday, October 21 at 4 p.m. at the Caldwell County Fairgrounds in Lockhart (at Highway 20 and Blackjack Street).  Goat project leaders Danny Wilhelm, Jerry and Amanda Butts will host a showmanship clinic and will help youth work with their animals to teach them to walk and set up.  Please bring your animals to work with, and they can also be weighed that day.  Even if your animals aren't working well for you, GO AHEAD AND BRING THEM ANYWAY!  Getting the animals out and working with them will help gentle them down. There is no cost to attend this program.  If you have any questions, please call the Extension office.  This workshop will be well worth the trip!

We are also in need of some senior level 4-H members in the goat (or lamb) project to help our younger 4-H members at this workshop.  If you would like to volunteer, (and get some leadership experience for your recordbook), please come to the workshop.

Junior Leadership Retreat at Brownwood

The 4-H Junior Leadership Retreat will be held November 9-11 at the Texas 4-H Conference Center in Brownwood, Texas.  Youth ages 9-14 and their adult chaperones are encouraged to attend.  Cost is $105 for youth, $70 for Adult Chaperones, which includes two nights lodging, four meals, two evening snacks and program fees.  The Jr. Leader Retreat is a state level leadership development program where Texas 4-H Council members conduct hands on educational workshops with younger 4-H members.  This year, the focus will be on increasing 4-H members' knowledge and skills in five project opportunities- Golf Challenge, Food Show/Recipe Rally, Science Engineering & Technology, Sport Fishing and Any Soldier Project.  The Saturday night theme dance will be a costume party.  Come dressed as your favorite character from the Avenger comic series!  To register, go to the 4-H center website: http://texas4hcenter.tamu.edu .  Click on Register Now link.  Registration is open from September 3 - November 5.  4-H members must have a chaperone attend with them who has been background checked and approved through the county YPS system.

 

Bastrop Area Livestock Show Judges

Judges for the 2013 Bastrop Area Livestock Show are:
Lambs & Goats- Todd Swift, Blanco
Hogs & Cattle- Melvin Pouncy, San Antonio
Rabbits- Bob Lawrence, Somerville
Poultry- Craig Coufal, College Station

Bastrop Show Rabbit Validation

If you plan to show breeding rabbits at the Bastrop Area Livestock Show, entry cards and fees are due November 1 to the Extension office or to Phyllis Mathison, Rabbit Superintendent.  Call the Extension office or Mrs. Mathison at 332-6001 if you have questions.

Bastrop Show Broiler Orders Due

If you plan to exhibit market broilers at the 2013 Bastrop Area Livestock show, you need to place an order with the Extension office by October 12.  The standard order has been adjusted to increments of 25 broiler chicks up to a maximum of 75 chicks per exhibitor.  Families with multiple children who wish to enter the show cannot order one set of birds for multiple children.  Each child must have an individual order of 25, 50 or 75 birds.  Each exhibitor must select and exhibit their pen of three broilers from within the broilers assigned to them.  Sharing of birds between order sets is not allowed.  The price will be $31.25 per standard order of 25 ($1.25 per chick).  Birds will be delivered on January 23, 2013, for the Bastrop Livestock Show.   If you wish to show these broilers at the Houston and Star of Texas shows, you can.  You will have to designate this when you order the chicks at the Extension office.

4-H Goat Project Workshop

There will be a joint Bastrop/Caldwell Co. 4-H Goat Project Workshop on Sunday, October 21 at 4 p.m. at the Caldwell County Fairgrounds in Lockhart (at Highway 20 and Blackjack Street).  Goat project leaders Danny Wilhelm, Jerry and Amanda Butts will host a showmanship clinic and will help youth work with their animals to teach them to walk and set up.  Please bring your animals to work with, and they can also be weighed that day.  There is no cost to attend this program.  If you have any questions, please call the Extension office.  This workshop will be well worth the trip!