Livestock show opens Thursday in Jacksonville
More than 400 youth will enter animals, shop projects

Steve Mott, a Texas Department of Criminal Justice guard, shudders as inmate Gary Hopkins drives a re-bar into the ground for the swine enclosure at the Will A. Lewis Exposition Center in Jacksonville. The work squad spent approximately 625-man-hours in preparation of the annual livestock show, which opens Thursday. PHOTO: ROBERT GONZALEZ

A greenhouse malfunction killed all of the Cherokee County Junior Livestock Show horticulture entries of the Troup FFA. The 29 horticulture entries from the Troup High School would have been the largest group of plants in the show.

Approximately 400-410 students are expected to enter, which is approximately 100 more students than participated in the 2006 event.

A total of 564 entries are planned for the 58th annual Cherokee County Junior Livestock Show March 29-31 at the Show Barn in Jacksonville.

Volunteers who tabulated sales from the 2006 auction could hardly believe the numbers. When the final buy order had been entered into the system, the total sale price of shop projects and sale animals topped $211,443.

The 2005 sale total was $185,972, reflecting a 12 percent increase in money.

Collectively, the 2006 queen's contest raised approximately $9,143. This was down from the previous year's total of $9,983.

The show dates back to September 1949. It was held under a tent on a vacant lot just a half block southeast of the courthouse in Rusk. There were 65 exhibitors, showing 103 animals in beef, dairy and swine classes. The Kiwanis sponsored show in 1949 was held on the lot south of city hall and it was reported 2,000 people attended. The show was moved in 1951 to the rodeo arena on Crockett Street, where it remained for 24 years. Permanent sheds were constructed for the 1952 show when broiler and laying hen divisions were added and the show date moved to April. In 1959, a feeder lamb class was added. In 1961, turkeys were added. The 1962 show of more than 200 entries added a horse show division. The Jacksonville Kiwanis Club joined the Rusk club in sponsoring the event in 1970. The 27th annual show was held at the old hardwood floor mill on Highway 84 west of Rusk.

Then the show was moved to Jacksonville in 1976, where it was held at the Jacksonville National Guard armory.

Construction of the new show barn on the loop in Jacksonville began on Feb. 14, 1979.

Twelve young women are entered in the annual queen's contest.

They include: Wells FFA, Bailey Corley, daughter of Alisha and Lance Corley; Carlisle FFA, Savanna Childress, daughter of Kim and Kyle Childress; Lookout 4-H, Shelbie Kirkpatrick, daughter of Melissa and Bill Kirkpatrick; Bullard FFA, Haylee Murphy, daughter of Kim and Jason Murphy; Wells 4-H, Holly Choate, daughter of Shelley and Chris Choate; Cloverleaf 4-H, Stormie Goodwin, daughter of Stephanie Goodwin; Footbridge 4-H, Sarah Rempfer, daughter of Brenda and Billy Rempfer; Jacksonville FFA, Kristen Stewart, daughter of Tina and Brad Stewart; Troup FFA, Casey Sanford, daughter of Connie and David Sanford; Rusk FFA, Jana Hill, daughter of Janice and Jesse Hill; New Summerfield FFA, Kristen Harrelson, daughter of Karen and Larry Harrelson; and Alto FFA, Emily Parker, daughter of Tracie and Melanie Parker.

A break-down of entries submitted by the various FFA and 4-H groups include: Alto FFA with 96 entries. Of that amount there were 10 poultry; 30 beef; two horses; 38 shop; 14 swine; one horticulture; and one rabbit.

Bullard has five entries, all of which will be beef.

Carlisle FFA will have 31 entries. There will be 13 goats, 10 swine and eight beef.

Cloverleaf 4-H Club has 22 entries. Of that amount there are four swine; two horticulture; one dairy; three shop; three goat; one poultry; two beef; four rabbit; and two horses.

Footbridge 4-H has 13 entries. These include four goat; four swine; two horticulture; and three rabbit.

Jacksonville FFA has 102 entries. This includes 13 shop; 20 swine; 18 poultry; 16 beef; 12 horse; four goat; 10 horticulture; eight rabbit; and one dairy.

Lookout 4-H has 44 entries. Of that there are two rabbit; 31 goat; three poultry; four beef; three swine; and one dairy.

New Summerfield FFA has 13 entries. Of that there are three shop; four beef; two poultry; and four horse.

Rusk FFA has 64 entries. Of that there are nine rabbit; one horticulture; 26 shop; four goat; five beef; three dairy; three poultry; five swine; and eight horse.

Troup FFA has 141 entries. This inclues 28 swine; 32 goat; 29 horticulture; 18 beef; 14 rabbit; 15 beef; two horse; and three shops. What the department planned to do about replacement of the horticulture entries was not known at press time.

Wells 4-H has 30 entries that include 11 swine; seven horse; three beef; four rabbit; one shop; two horticulture; and two goats.

Wells FFA will have three entries that include two shop and one horticulture.