You are here

Dixie National Junior Roundup

January 3, 2019

Announcer: Farm and Family is a production of the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Amy Myers: Today we're talking about Dixie National Junior Roundup. Hello. I'm Amy Myers, and welcome to Farm and Family. Today we're speaking with Doctor Dean Jousan at Mississippi State University Extension 4H Livestock Specialist. Dean, what exactly is the Dixie National Junior Roundup?

Dean Jousan: So Amy, the Dixie National Junior Roundup is a showcase of the livestock industry in Mississippi. During this livestock show, both 4H and FFA contestants will exhibit their livestock project animals in the biggest junior market livestock show in Mississippi. We usually have 23 to 24 hundred livestock being exhibited over about a six day period. This year the roundup will start on Thursday, January the 31st, and conclude with the Sale of Champions on the Thursday, February the 7th.

Amy Myers: How do 4H and FFA youth qualify their animals to compete at the Dixie National Junior Roundup?

Dean Jousan: Starting in mid January, through the end of January, there are five district livestock shows held across the state. So, depending on the county that the young person is a member of a 4H club or an FFA chapter. They have to take their animal to that particular district livestock show. If their animal is deemed to be a blue ribbon quality animal, then it will qualify to come on to compete at the Dixie National Junior Roundup.

Amy Myers: There are a lot of events and activities that go on that the Dixie National Junior Roundup. Can you give us a brief rundown of the schedule.

Dean Jousan: As I mentioned, the overall dates are January the 31st through February the 7th. We'll have our first show starting on Friday, February the 1st. We'll have our junior dairy cattle show starting at eight o'clock. And then, we'll start our Swan Showmanship Contest at nine o'clock. After we finish Swan Showmanship, we have a new show this year, for the first time, we'll have a commercial gilt show. And then, after that, we'll have Mississippi bred barrow show. We'll come back on Saturday morning, February the 2nd to conclude our market hog show, which will last pretty much all day. Then on Sunday, Superbowl Sunday, we'll have our market steer show, held in the coliseum, starting at 12 noon that day. Then moving to Monday, February the 4th, we'll start in the coliseum starting with Beef Showmanship. And once it concludes in the afternoon, we'll have our commercial beef heifer show. 

Also, starting at eight o'clock on that Monday morning, we'll have our lamb show, starting with Lamb Showmanship. Then our Weather Dam Show, our commercial ewe show and then, a market lamb show after that. The last show that we'll have on that Monday, February the 4th is Goat Showmanship starting at three o'clock. On Tuesday, February the 5th, we'll conclude our beef cattle shows with our Beef Breeding Show in the coliseum. Also at eight o'clock, we'll have our meat goat shows, starting with our commercial meat doe show, followed by the market goat show. 

Our last show will be held on Wednesday, February the 6th. That'll be our dairy goat show, and then we'll have our Sale of Champions at 11:30 on Thursday, February the 7th.

Amy Myers: I understand there are various educational contests that are part of Dixie National Junior Roundup.

Dean Jousan: So, we have six major species at the Dixie National Junior Roundup. And each of those has a premier exhibitor contest. And that's eligible for youth that are 14 or older. It's a very educational contest. Where each compete in a variety of different aspects to test their knowledge. And the neat thing about this is, as they earn points through the education portion of the contest, and points with their animal, the six winners will get a 2000 dollar scholarship from the Sale of Junior Champions. One other thing that we're gonna do this year, which we haven't done in a couple of years is, have a legislative showdown. So, we're gonna invite legislators, youth, and their county to contact their local legislators to come out on Monday, February the 4th at six o'clock. And then, these youth are gonna meet their legislator, go back and train them, coach them about how to show a beef animal. And then, we're gonna have a legislative showmanship contest in the coliseum.

Amy Myers: The Dixie National Junior Roundup end with the Sale of Champions. What all goes on leading up the sale?

Dean Jousan: For several months, a group of about 30 to 35 men and women have been actively finding potential buyers who are willing to support youth livestock shows and programs. They've been out really making contacts, trying to generate money. Not only for the sale itself, but also for the scholarship program. So, we'll have lots of scholarships and probably 40 plus head of livestock that are sold at the Sale of Champions. So it's just really a great way to wrap up the Dixie National Junior Roundup.

Amy Myers: So, if people wanna learn more about Dixie National Junior Roundup, where should they go?

Dean Jousan: You can go to extension.msstate.edu, then select the one for 4H, 4H Livestock Program and Youth Livestock. And on that page, you'll see a link to the Dixie National Junior Roundup.

Amy Myers: Today, we've been speaking with Dean Jousan, Mississippi State University Extension 4H Livestock Specialist. I'm Amy Myers, and this is been Farm and Family. Have a great day.

Announcer: Farm and Family is a production of the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Select Your County Office