‘Exceptional Kids Stock Show’ debuts at 2022 CCJLS

CHEROKEE COUNTY – More than two years in the making, a new event focusing on special needs youth will debut March 30 during this year’s Cherokee County Junior Livestock Show.

“We really can’t take credit for being the first, but similar events have been held at some other shows and they’ve just been a huge success,” said CCJLS president Bart Bauer. “Stacy McCown has volunteered to take the responsibility of getting it put on, and we are so glad that it’s fixing to come to fruition this year.”

McCown said that after learning about Angelina County’s show, which had a similar program, “I started picking their brain about what they have done – they started about two years before our first one was planned. Because when I saw it, I automatically thought, ‘we need to do that,’ and the board was very supportive.”

The local event showcases the talents of special needs individuals from Cherokee County, partnering them with a 4H or FFA “buddy,” who not only loans them use of a show project but “kind of guides them through the process,” she said. “There will be judges out there, talking with the participants about their animals.”

There is no age limit set, so “anyone who wants to show, we’re going to welcome,” Bauer said. “We even have a couple of kids who missed it because of COVID-19 the past two years, who had signed up, and we’re inviting them back to have the opportunity to show a project.”

Families are abuzz about the launch of the new event at the local show, McCown noted.

“They’re really excited because they want their child to have those experiences, and there’s really not a lot out there for kids with special needs,” she said. “The way we’re doing it is to contact the families and find out what each registrant needs, because each child’s need is different and we want to make sure he or she is safe and his or her needs are being met. That is my goal: To let parents feel their child was safe participating.”

She added, “we’re here for the kids, but we’re also here for the community – we want to support them, as well.”

While participants will win a prize, “the true reward is to see them be excited, which is why folks are volunteering” for this new event, Bauer said. “I can’t tell you how it’s going to pan out, because we’ve never done it before, but even if it’s just a few kids in the ring, it’s going to be great for them.”

Registration deadline has been set for Feb. 12; participants can pre-register at https://form.jotform.com/91545432419155 while volunteers pre-register at https://form.jotform.com/srmccown/volunteer_form

Information also is available on the Facebook page, “Cherokee County Stock Show & Exposition, Inc.”