Celebrating Time Treasured Opportunities for Youth
March 21-24 marks the 59th Annual Rockwall Youth Fair at the RISD Agriculture Complex located on Riding Club Road.
The purpose of the Rockwall Youth Fair is to promote the education, constructive talents and leadership skills of the youth of the community by conducting clinics, training demonstrations, shows and auction sales for youth and to cooperate with the Rockwall County Extension Service, Rockwall 4-H Clubs, Rockwall FFA Chapters, and other youth organizations of Rockwall Public Schools.
“The Rockwall Youth Fair is the end result of the hard work of young ladies and gentlemen through their animal husbandry and AG mechanics projects producing leadership through responsibility, time management and economic accountability,” said Ron Evans, Rockwall Youth Fair Board President.
Rockwall Youth Fair will host the annual Agriculture Awareness Day on Friday, March 23, sponsored by Heritage Land Bank. Suzy Carr, Coordinator of the AG Awareness Day reports, “Approximately 918 Rockwall ISD 3rd graders will engage in interactive learning sessions ranging from learning about farm animals to the importance of agriculture in our everyday lives. We are so excited to share this opportunity with our school children.”
Rockwall 4-H and FFA students will lead tours of the animal project barn and discuss their experiences in raising livestock projects (swine, steers, rabbits, goats, sheep).
The highlight of the Rockwall Youth Fair is the Livestock Show and Market Sale. Young people from across the county in 4-H and FFA will demonstrate their skills and disciplines in breeding and market animals. Livestock Show consists of the following: Market Hogs, Market Goats, and Market Steers.
Many hours go into the care of each animal. Prior to the show final preparations are made to help the livestock look their best. Youngsters with the assistance of their parents, leaders, county agents, and agriculture teachers learn to wash, dry, and clip and show their animals.
Market Sale will be held immediately after the livestock show. An opportunity for the local community to support Rockwall youth involved in agriculture projects, market animals will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Last year more than $60,000 was given back to Rockwall youth as a result of the market auction. Premiums are utilized by participants to save for college and/or to continue next year with another project. The benefit for the buyers is the assurance of a quality meat for the dining table and rewarding a young person for a job well done.
Divisions of the Youth Fair include:
- Agriculture Mechanics Show – Wednesday, March 21
- Art Show – Wednesday, March 21 – Open to youth in the Rockwall Independent School District. The Art Show will consist of the following categories: Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, Craft and Mixed Media.
- Clothing and Textile Show – Wednesday, March 21
- Judging contest open to local FFA and 4-H members – Wednesday, March 21, 6:00 p.m.
- Livestock Show – Friday, March 23, 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 24 8:00 a.m. – Breeding/Market Animals – heifers, goats, hogs, lambs, broilers and rabbits.
- Barbeque Luncheon – 12 noon
- Market Auction – Saturday, March 24, 1 p.m.
Submitted by Shelly Spearman, office manager, Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
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