2026 Mississippi State Fair and 2027 Dixie National Junior Round-Up: Beef Division

Download the full publication in the right column for more detailed information on rules, important dates, contacts, beef breeds, special considerations, and other pertinent information. 

The rules in the current year’s Mississippi State Fair or Dixie National Junior Round-Up Premium book supersede any rules published previously in a Mississippi State Fair or Dixie National Junior Round-Up Premium book or in this publication. [New rules and regulations passed by the Mississippi Livestock Council Show directors will be in brackets throughout this book.]

An official show veterinarian from the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine (MSU-CVM) will be on site during the junior livestock shows.

General Show and Animal Health Reminders:

• A health certificate from a veterinarian is required to get on fairgrounds
• 60-day health record forms are uploaded in the check-in app used for checking in all livestock

Important Dates

Ownership of animal – Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Ownership for both Mississippi State Fair/Dixie National

• Market Steers, Market Lambs, Market Goats, Market Hair Sheep
• Ownership for Mississippi State Fair
  • Beef Breeding Animals, Commercial and Dairy Breeding Females, Commercial Beef Heifers, Market Hogs, Commercial Meat Goat Does, Wether Dams, Commercial and Registered Dairy Goats, Breeding Hair Sheep, Registered Breeding Boer Does

Entries must be submitted to county Extension office by Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

Exhibitors must submit their entries in the Showman app by the end of Friday, September 4, 2026. There is a $10 per head nomination fee.

Classification/DNA Hair Collection Week, September 14–16, 2026

• Monday, September 14: Hattiesburg – 7 a.m–Noon
• Tuesday, September 15: Raymond – 8 a.m–1:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 16: Greenwood – 8–10:30 a.m.
• Wednesday, September 16: Pontotoc – 2–6 p.m.

Exhibitor entry deadline to submit livestock in the Showman app for the Mississippi State Fair (September 18, 2026). There is a $5 per head entry fee.

Mississippi State Fair, Jackson – October 8-18, 2026

Ownership of animal – Tuesday, December 1, 2026

• Ownership for Dixie National Junior Round-Up
  • Beef Breeding Animals, Commercial and Dairy Breeding Females, Market Hogs, Mississippi Bred Barrows, Commercial and Registered Dairy Goats, Commercial Beef Heifers, Wether Dams, Commercial Gilts, Commercial Meat Goat Does, Breeding Hair Sheep, Registered Breeding Boer Does

Entries must be submitted to county Extension office by Tuesday, December 1, 2026.

Exhibitors must submit their entries in the Showman app by the end of Friday, December 4, 2026. There is a $10 per head nomination fee for new nominations.

Classification/DNA Hair Collection Week, December 14–17, 2026

• Monday, December 14: Hattiesburg – 8 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 15: Raymond – 8 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 16: Greenwood – 8 a.m–1:30 p.m.
• Thursday, December 17: Oxford – 8 a.m.–Noon

Exhibitor entry deadline to submit livestock in the Showman app for the District Livestock Shows and Dixie National Junior Round-Up (January 5, 2027). There is a $5 per head entry fee for the DNJR, and each district has their own per head entry fee.

Dixie National Junior Round-Up, February 1–11, 2027

Publication 3814-2 (POD-08-26)

By Dean Jousan, PhD, Extension Professor, Animal and Dairy Sciences, and Cobie Rutherford, former Extension Instructor, Center for 4-H Youth Development.