HUTCHINSON – The Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS) will host 772 youth from 97 counties for the 87th annual event. Exhibitors have entered 1,906 head of livestock, which includes 134 market steers, 333 breeding heifers, 230 market hogs, 271 breeding gilts, 275 market lambs, 288 breeding ewes, 197 market goats and 178 commercial doe kids. The statewide event will be held September 27-29 at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson.
For the sixth consecutive year, Douglas County leads the state with the most exhibitors, 37, and the largest number of total livestock entries, 77. Youth from Douglas County also have entered the most market lambs, 17. The breeding gilts category is led by Dickinson County with 15. Finney County has the most market hog entries at 13, and is tied with Butler County on market steer entries with six each. The largest number of heifers, 18, was entered by Pottawatomie County. Miami County competitors have entered the most market goats, 11. The largest number of breeding ewes was entered by Leavenworth County, 15. Elk County has the most commercial doe kid entries at 10.
KJLS will award cash to exhibitors of the top five animals in both market and breeding shows in all four species. Direct cash payouts will range from $4,000 to $500 for steers; $1,000 to $300 for heifers; $2,000 to $500 for market hogs; $750 to $250 for breeding gilts; $2,000 to $300 for market lambs; $500 to $50 for registered ewes; $500 to $100 for commercial ewes; $2,000 to $400 for market goats; and $750 to $200 for commercial doe kids.
In addition, KJLS will present several scholarships during the show to exhibitors who have excelled academically, in community service and in 4-H/FFA. This is the 27th year for the scholarship program, which has awarded a total of $450,900 to 323 exhibitors since 1993. Last year, a total of $19,900 was awarded to 10 individuals.
Separate from the selection of species champions, a showmanship contest will be held. The top showman in the junior, intermediate and senior divisions of each species will receive a silver belt buckle. Prizes also will be awarded for second through fifth place in each division.
KJLS will again offer the LEAD Challenge, which is an educational and advocacy event that provides an opportunity for exhibitors to learn about current industry issues and apply that information in a competitive environment. Exhibitors will be divided into three age divisions: junior, intermediate and senior. All will participate in the LEAD Listen & Learn, showmanship, skills stations and an interview. There are 35 juniors, 63 intermediates and 44 seniors entered in this year’s challenge.
In conjunction with KJLS, the Kansas Livestock Foundation KLF again will sponsor a club calf show and sale. Steer and heifer prospects from some of the top club calf producers in the Midwest will be consigned. The event will take place September 28. Sale commission proceeds will go toward KLF Youth in Agriculture scholarships.
The Mid-America Classic Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest will be held Sept. 27 in conjunction with the show. This event, which has been held for more than 30 years, provides competitors the opportunity to sharpen their livestock evaluation skills; develop their critical thinking and decision-making abilities; and refine their public speaking skills.
KLA and Kansas State University serve as the major sponsors of the show. Additional sponsors include Cargill, Merck Animal Health, Seaboard Foods, Kansas Farm Bureau and Farm Bureau Financial Services, Friends of KJLS, the Kansas Department of Agriculture and American AgCredit.
Local youth entered are:
Great Bend: Steele Brack - two Market Steer, two Meat Goat, Commercial Doe; Dalton Dicks - Chianina Heifer; Parker Dicks, Chianina Heifer
Pawnee Rock: Dylan Ferguson, market steer; Sierra Ferguson, market steer
Albert: Kolton Maneth, Market Steer, two Angus Heifer
Ellinwood: Luke Wondra, two Market Barrow
Kanopolis: Noah Goss, Simmental Heifer, Simmental Pct Heifer
Ellsworth: Lane Howard, Meat Goat; Leah Howard, Meat Goat, Hadley Huseman, Market Barrow, Commercial Gilt; Paxton Huseman, Duroc Gilt, two Commercial Gilt
Geneseo: Breckyn Rush, Market Lamb, Commercial Ewe, two Meat Goat, two Commercial Doe; Kaine Rush, Commercial Ewe, Meat Goat; Monica Short, Maine-Anjou Heifer, two Market Lamb
Wilson: two Market Lamb; Rachel Sebesta, Market Lamb, Southdown Ewe, Commercial Ewe
Rozel: Chancey Hauck, two Market Steer, Simmental Pct Heifer
Larned: Brett Kirby, Commercial Heifer; Karley Lemuz, Red Angus Heifer, Commercial Heifer; Grayson Maxwell, Market Lamb, Suffolk Ewe, Commercial Ewe
Little River: Cole Dieball, Market Steer, Hereford Heifer; Taylor Dieball, two Market Steer, two Hereford Heifer; Braeden Grasser, two Commercial Gilt; Kami Grasser, Commercial Gilt; Kelltyn Commercial Gilt
Lorraine: Carter Stansbury, Market Lamb, Hampshire Ewe; Courtney Stansbury, Market Lamb, two Southdown Ewe; Ella Stansbury, Market Lamb, AOB Ewe, Southdown Ewe
Otis: Cora Anderson, two Market Steer
Olmitz: Danica Bartonek, Market Steer
LaCrosse: Ethan Petersilie, Market Barrow, Dark AOB Gilt; Jadyn Petersilie, two Commercial Doe
Paradise: Ethan Dickerson, Angus Heifer, two Red Angus Heifer, Jayce Dickerson, two Charolais Heifer
Russell: Emma Karst, Shorthorn Heifer, Simmental Pct Heifer, two Meat Goat; Gracie Karst, AOB Heifer, Meat Goat; Katherine Krauss, two Market Steer, Hereford Heifer, Commercial Heifer; Braden Mai, two Market Barrow, two Commercial Gilt; Shelby Ney, two Angus Heifer
St. John: Garrett Dunn, Gelbvieh Heifer; Ian Dunn, Gelbvieh Heifer; PrestonDunn, Gelbvieh Heifer
Macksville: Cali Newdigger, Market Steer; CodyNewdigger, Hereford Heifer, Meat Goat, Commercial Doe
