David Adame/Caller-Times Jason Johnson of San Antonio gets flung off upside-down during the pro bull riding competition at last year's Nueces County Junior Livestock Show.

Months of hard work culminate at annual Livestock Show

Last year's sales totaled more than $1 million

The aim and purpose of the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show Association is to promote responsibility and leadership skills through the educational work of 4-H clubs, Family Career and Community Leaders of America and Future Farmers of America chapters in cooperation with the adult leaders of Nueces County in all phases of agriculture, family life skills and industry.

The show is host to more than 1,100 youths annually from schools in the Corpus Christi, Flour Bluff, Calallen, Tuloso-Midway, London, Banquete, Bishop, Agua Dulce and Robstown school districts. The youths who participate in the show exhibit a variety of animal projects in addition to shop and homemaking entries. These projects begin months before the show takes place.

Bullriding, Team Roping and Five Card Draw are among top show events The Nueces County Junior Livestock Show has long had the distinction of being the largest junior show - dollar wise - in the state of Texas. The group is always looking for ways to enhance the show's image and to attract more people to attend. The upcoming show is no exception. The January 2002 show and sale kicks off this evening with a bullriding at the Robstown Showbarn followed by the second annual Alumni Benefit Concert featuring the music of Larry Joe Taylor. And don't miss the team roping Saturday morning. Then, stay for a matinee bullriding at 2 p.m. And be sure to head over to Robstown High School Auditorium and watch the young ladies compete for the title of 2002 Queen. Tickets are available from queen contestants and at the door. Wrap up your evening with a dance, following the queen's contest at the Showbarn, featuring the music of Five Card Draw. And if all that activity has made you hungry, stop by for the Bar-B-Q Cook-off Jan. 12. Tickets for each event can be purchased at that activity. Combo tickets are available for admission to the Team Roping, matinee bullriding, Bar-B-Q Cookoff and dance Jan. 12. Tickets: $20 adults; $16 children 12 and younger. Bullriding Double Feature This event takes place at the Robstown Showbarn Friday and Saturday. Friday Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets: $10 adults; $5 children 12 and younger. Saturday matinee Gates open at 2 p.m. Tickets: $10 adults; $5 children 12 and younger. Team Roping Mark Saturday on your calendar for a morning of fun and high-speed runs. Join the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show at the second annual Team Roping. Team roping starts at 8 a.m. at the Showbarn Arena. Tickets: $2 adults; $1 children 12 and younger. Concession stand available. Five Card Draw Dance to the music of Five Card Draw following the Queen's Contest Saturday at the Showbarn. Tickets: $10 per person.

These exhibitors are up early seeing to the needs of the animals, in addition to keeping up with school activities. Many late evenings are spent walking animals, welding on a bumper or trying a new cookie recipe.

The Nueces County Junior Livestock Show provides an opportunity for the general public to witness first-hand the accomplishments of the exhibitors involved. The accomplishments of the young people should be a source of pride for everyone in Nueces County.

Supported by buyers

While the show itself takes only a few days in January, preparations take a full year to coordinate.

Presently, the association has one full-time employee to handle clerical matters throughout the year and incorporates the skills of some 350 volunteers in the months surrounding the show to handle the tasks of putting it on.

From setting up pens to handling publicity matters, the show relies on the ready assistance of these volunteers.
They are the backbone of the organization. Each year, the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show has a Blue Ribbon Auction Sale as the climax of the activities.

Those youth whose market animal projects have earned blue-ribbon honors sell their projects at the auction. The 2001 show involved 1,200 buyers purchasing 677 projects with an auction sale of $1,175,807. From each project sold, the show receives a commission of 6 percent to defray costs of putting on the show.

Awarding scholarships

An additional 1 percent is placed in a scholarship fund. The remaining 93 percent goes to those exhibitors who participated in the auction sale. The vast majority of these exhibitors save their project proceeds for college tuition.

The Nueces County Junior Livestock Show Scholarship fund was initially established in 1991 to assist in the continuing education of the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show participants.

Caller-Times file Five Card Draw will perform Saturday at this year's Nueces County Junior Livestock Show.

Applicants must be an active member of a Nueces County FFA or FCCLA chapter or 4-H Club, a current-year, graduating senior and an active participant in the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show. Eighteen scholarships were awarded in 2001.

The Nueces County Junior Livestock Show is a charitable, nonprofit organization as defined under URS Code 501 (c) (3).
Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. In some cases, these contributions may be limited.

Show supporters should consult their tax advisors regarding particular situations.