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- Livestock shows merge to meet social distancing guidelines
(01/27/21) BATON ROUGE, La. — This year the LSU AgCenter is merging its southeast and southcentral district livestock shows.
Beth Putnam, 4-H agent in Washington Parish, said this merged show will be held at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, Feb. 3 to 6.
“We normally have our show at the fairgrounds in Covington, but the barns there are too small for the amount of social distancing required,” she said.
Olivia Picard, 4-H agent in St. Tammany Parish, said the change will cause some families to travel out of their area, while others who normally have to travel to the district show will get a break this year.
“Our parish has become a little spoiled because ours kids don’t have to travel,” she said. “So this year will give some of them who normally only show at parish and district shows to experience the bigger arena at Lamar-Dixon.”
Putnam said the show will not be open to the public, but she is expecting increased participation and increased competition.
Another change this year is there will only be two support persons per child.
Picard said her exhibitors are excited to have the opportunity to participate in some events not available at the southeast show.
“We don’t have a district rabbit show or a premier exhibitor competition in Covington, and that’s new for us,” she said.
This will be the 86th annual Southeast District Livestock Show, and the show features a king and queen each year.
Jessie Hoover, horticulture agent in East Feliciana, West Feliciana and St. Helena parishes, said this year’s queen is Sadie Lear, of St. James Parish. The king is Reily Mitchell, of Livingston Parish.
The king and queen of the livestock show are judged on the following criteria:
– Resumé.
– Livestock projects.
– 4-H or FFA activities.
– Leadership and community service.
– An interview.
Hoover said the exhibitors who win at the merged show will advance to the state show, which will be held at Lamar-Dixon Feb. 12 to 20.
Reily Mitchell, of Livingston Parish, is the 2021 king of the 86th annual Southeast District Junior Livestock Show, which will be held at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, Feb. 3 to 6. Photo provided.
Sadie Lear, of St. James Parish, is the 2021 queen of the 86th annual Southeast District Junior Livestock Show, which will be held at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, Feb. 3 to 6. Photo provided.