Bastrop Area Livestock Show Validation for Goats, Lambs, Market & Breeding Swine and Breeding Heifers

Validation of market and breeding hogs, market lambs, market goats and breeding heifers for the Bastrop Area Livestock Show will be held December 1, 2012 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Bastrop Show Barn.  Entry fees are $15 per entry.  Market lambs, goats and hogs will be eartagged and entry fees paid during validation.  If a market lamb, goat or hog has been validated for major shows, the major show validation tag will be accepted in lieu of hauling the animal to Bastrop show validation, but the exhibitor and a parent must be present to pay entry fees and submit entry forms.  If animals are not validated for major shows, entry fees must be paid and the animal must be presented by the exhibitor at Bastrop Show validation.  Exhibitors and a parent must be present at validation day or exhibitor will not be allowed to validate or show the animal in the show.

Breeding swine do not have to be validated to show unless there is a possibility they will also be shown in the market show, but entry fees must be paid on Dec. 1 during validation.  Entry cards and fees must be paid on beef heifers at this time (you do not have to bring heifers to the show barn).  If you have questions, call the Extension office.

San Antonio School Tour Guides Needed

The San Antonio School Tour Guides Committee needs enthusiastic, responsible students in grades 9 - 12 to take part in this unique leadership opportunity to educate school children about agriculture and its importance to our daily lives.  Dates available to help tour guide are February 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19 and 20, 2013.  Tour dates are available on a first come first served basis, and you should not select a day you will be sifting, classifying or showing an animal at the San Antonio Livestock Show.   Students must commit to school tours from 7:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on their tour day.   You will receive an excused absence from school (eligibility will be checked) on the day you are selected to guide tours.  The San Antonio School Tour Guide Committee awards 24 - $1000 scholarships to graduating seniors who participate in tour guiding their senior year.  Please call the Extension office with your first, second and third choice of tour dates by November 30.

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.