By SDCN Staff
Del Mar, CA–About 468 student exhibitors will participate in Junior Livestock Week at the San Diego County Fair this Sunday.
The activities culminate in the Junior Livestock Auction, which is scheduled from 12–6 p.m. at the Fair.
Livestock week gives youth involved in San Diego County Head, Heart, Hands and Health (4-H) and Future Farmers of America (FFA), Grange, and independent programs an opportunity to showcase their animals and to win prize money, recognition for their achievements, and a chance at college scholarships. Students with the best-of-the-best livestock can auction their Blue-Ribbon animals at the auction on Sunday.
Buyers from the San Diego community are welcome to attend and even purchase a market animal at the auction. Potential buyers can register on the day of the sale at the registration table or register in advance online. Advance registrants receive free admission for that day.
The participants are expected to show 530 animals in total. Many exhibitors have more than one species under their care in the traditional breeding, market, and showmanship livestock competitions.
The market show judging wrapped up Thursday and was followed by the Champion Drive on Friday in Ring 1, between Wyland Hall and the Livestock Barn. The Drive announced the four Grand Champions and Reserve Grand Champions for each of the larger animal categories, and four for rabbit meat pens, in the small animal category. It is another opportunity for each winner to introduce themselves and their animal to their peers and the public before the auction.
Last year, the Fair had more than 3,500 livestock entries in total. This year, the Fair has had more than 3,700 total entries despite bird-flu-related restrictions on market dairy cattle and market poultry.
The 2024 Junior Livestock Auction raised $658,000 — a 25% increase over the previous year of $487,000. This year, the auction includes traditional market competitions for beef, lamb, swine, goats and rabbit meat pens.
Multiple Fair concessionaires support the auction, including West Coast Weenies’ Nathan Marcus and “Chicken Charlie” Boghosian, who purchased the Reserve Grand Champion Steer, the Grand Champion Broiler Meat Pen, a Market Lamb, and a Market Hog at last year’s auction.
4-H is a non-profit youth (ages 5–18) organization that teaches leadership and life skills through extracurricular projects focused on citizenship, healthy living, and science. Founded in the early 1900s, 4-H is now the nation’s largest youth development organization, reaching more than six million youth worldwide. The 4-H youth are recognized by their white uniform and green scarf or tie, and they embellish their green felt hat with their awards and membership years.
Originally founded in 1928 as the Future Farmers of America (FFA), the national organization has expanded its focus beyond farming to include agriculture-related industries like science and education. The FFA members range from ages 12-21. The exhibitors wear navy blue corduroy jackets with their high school town embroidered and white pants.
The National Grange was formed in the late 1800s and encourages families to work together with roots based in agriculture. Faith, hope, charity, and fidelity are the basic lessons within the program. The Junior Grange program is for children ages 4-13, and Grange Youth is for members ages 14-35. Meetings are held within the communities, and they offer many programs for youth. Grange members wear blue jeans, a white shirt, and their traditional red vest.
