Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Pascual Hernandez, 325-387-3101, p-hernandez@tamu.edu
SONORA –The Annual Wool and Mohair Show, now in its 76th year, will again be held in conjunction with the National 4-H Wool Judging and FFA Wool Judging contests.
These contests join a host of other ranch-related youth competitions set for June 18-20 in the Sutton County 4-H Civic Center in Sonora.
The events will be conducted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in cooperation with the Sonora Lions Club, Sonora Wool and Mohair Company and the Sonora Chamber of Commerce.
“Though years of drought have greatly reduced Texas’ wooled sheep flocks and Angora goat herds, we think that only escalates the need for youth to learn appropriate livestock production practices, rangeland management skills and proper preparation of wool and mohair fleeces,” said Pascual Hernandez, AgriLife Extension agent in Sutton County.
“In the past, the fleece show components have been open to adults, but for the past several years, all the associated judging contests have focused on young people only, so we try to offer a fun learning experience that’s geared to ranching practices common throughout our region.”
Show activities will include an All-Texas Show and contests for 4-H clubs and FFA chapters, the 13th annual National FFA Wool Judging Contest, and the featured judging event: the 53rd annual National 4-H Wool Judging Contest.
“We’ll begin weighing and tagging wool and mohair fleece entries at 10 a.m. on June 18,” Hernandez said. “All fleeces must be in by 3:30 p.m. that day.”
He said registration on June 19 will start at 7 a.m. Livestock judging competition will begin at 8:15 a.m., as will judging of the junior wool and mohair entries.
Range judging participants will depart from the Sutton County 4-H Civic Center at 10 a.m.
The wool and mohair judging contest will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Sutton County 4-H Civic Center.
Teams that have not preregistered may register for the national 4-H and FFA wool judging contests until 5 p.m. June 19 at the civic center.
On June 20, national 4-H and FFA wool judging contests begin at 8 a.m., also at the civic center.
The three days of activities will conclude June 20 with an 11:30 a.m. awards luncheon at the civic center, sponsored by the Sonora Lions Club and the Sonora Chamber of Commerce.
For more information, contact Hernandez at 325-387-3101 or p-hernandez@tamu.edu .
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