It’s the time of year when Princeton FFA students trade their backpacks for feed sacks and their Chromebooks for lead ropes.
The annual Collin County Jr. Livestock Show at Myers Park in McKinney kicks off the busy show season for most of the students, who have been raising their animals for much of the past year.
Thickie Nicki, Creed, Rooster, Ty, Sir and Unihornless (better known as the PISD goat and sheep herd) thought they were being treated to a spa day when they arrived at the youth barn for fresh haircuts, showers, brushing, snacks and spiffy new designer jackets.
In addition to the sheep and goats, students show chickens, cattle and pigs, as well as their ag mechanics and floral projects.
Students estimate they spend at least three hours a day at the ag barn in preparation for the livestock shows.
“We have to feed them every morning, and every night,” Lovelady 9th-grader Brighton McFarland said. “We have work sessions where we walk them around the barn or use treadmills and walkers for muscle development. There was also halter breaking, which I thought was the hardest.”
But that’s all on the easy days.
“We are at the barn more hours when we are getting ready for shows,” said Chloe Jones, who is also a freshman at Lovelady. “It takes quite a bit longer when you are washing and drying and clipping the animals.”
Most of the Princeton FFA students will continue showing this spring, including trips to livestock shows in Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston.
The FFA students always need supporters who can visit the livestock shows to see all the animals and spend time in the auction barn, where they are invited to be a bidder on a winning animal or project. Any donation to the program on behalf of Princeton FFA students will be a tax deduction.
For questions regarding how to support the ag students, contact ag teacher and FFA sponsor Shalley Boles at 254-967-6024 or sboles@princetonisd.net.
About the photos:
PHS ag teacher Shalley Boles shows Chloe Jones the proper leg placement for a lamb during judging.
Cullen Jenkins helps Brighton McFarland administer a little supplement paste to Rooster.
Jaden Watson takes her goat, Sir, for a spin around the barn.
The ag students make a practice run walking to the ring with their show animals.
Ms. Boles provides a run-down of the proper care of the animals prior to judging to garner the best results from the show.
Peyton and Cullen Jenkins show off Ty the sheep and Unihornless the goat, which used to have one horn until he opted for the no-horn look.
Thickie Nicki smiles for a close-up.
Peyton Jenkins has her lamb modeling an original designer Yves Saint Laurent.
Mason Hovind shows his pig during judging in the ring.
