By Julie Tomascik
Editor

The lights are on, and the barns are full. The smell of fresh shavings and dirt fill the air.

Although the stands aren’t packed, the excitement and anticipation builds. Because youth exhibitors are on the fairgrounds, ready to show in the first-ever United Livestock Show.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing requirements cancelling many events, the Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo and the State Fair of Texas partnered to host the unique, one-time youth livestock show in Waco.

The event included breeding heifers, prospect steers and purebred breeding gilts.

Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) participated as a sponsor of The United as part of its long-time support of Texas youth and its strong relationship with both stock shows.

“Because of the pandemic, the two fairs were cancelled, and we weren’t able to utilize our Doorways to Agriculture exhibit to engage the public,” TFB Organization Director Whit Weems said. “Our sponsorship of The United represented an opportunity for us to redirect those resources that we usually invest at both shows in urban outreach.”

TFB’s redirected funds were the prize money for the show. Fifteen exhibitors would each take home part of the $22,500.

For each division—heifers, steers and gilts, the grand champion received $2,500. The reserve grand champion received $2,000, third overall $1,500, fourth overall $1,000 and fifth overall $500.

“The United was a fantastic event,” Weems said. “Two youth livestock shows worked together to provide an opportunity for Texas 4-H and FFA members. We’re proud we were able to play a role in this event.”

It was historic, unprecedented and inspiring. Volunteers and stock show staff worked tirelessly to pull together a stock show that will be remembered for many years.

“The United was something that was born out of necessity, and it was born out of friendship,” Darryl Real, senior vice president of Agriculture and Livestock for the State Fair of Texas, said.

Real and Wes Allison, Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo president and CEO, are longtime friends. And both knew the importance of an event like this.

“The foundation of the State Fair is promoting agriculture, education and community involvement. We were proud to host this event with Heart O’ Texas,” Real said. “And it does our hearts good to push forward, to have found a way to make things happen for the youth in our great state. This gave the kids an opportunity to show.”

But The United was more than a livestock show. It was an event that brought hope, a sense of normalcy and allowed seniors to compete once again.

“It was devastating hearing show after show cancelling this year,” Ashlyn Summers, a senior at Waxahachie High School, said. “But knowing they started The United was a bright spot. I’m just extremely thankful and just so happy I had the chance to show.”

She showed. And she won.

Summers earned the title of Supreme Champion Purebred Breeding Gilt with her Berkshire pig. With that title, she won a banner, a buckle and a cash prize from TFB.

“Winning this show, it means so much,” Summers, who has been showing for 12 years, said. “I’m going to have a banner and a buckle that, hopefully, no one will ever have again, because I hope we don’t need another United show like this. But it’s more than the banner and buckle. It’s the memories I’m going to take with me.”

It was the show of a lifetime for many exhibitors.

“It was a relief to get to show. We kept working, kept grinding all year hoping that we would get to show this fall,” said Mason Leifeste, a freshman at C.H. Yoe High School in Cameron.

He, too, took home a banner, buckle and a cash prize for exhibiting the Supreme Grand Champion Breeding Heifer.

Leifeste has been showing cattle for over 10 years, but this win topped all the others.

“I’ve had some pretty big wins over the years like winning the heifer show at San Antonio, but winning The United is the highlight of my show career. It’s the only show like it,” he said.

His Charolais heifer Sparkles did just that in the ring—she sparkled and shined. The slap on the heifer’s rump from the judge sealed the win, and although the stands weren’t as packed as they would be at a normal major livestock show, the win was still just as sweet.

“It was a good show, and winning was a moment I won’t ever forget,” Leifeste said.

Mason Grady, a fourth-grader from Grandview, had his moment to shine, too.

He won a banner, buckle and cash prize for exhibiting the Overall Grand Champion Prospect Steer.

And he said showing his Charolais steer, Possum, in the grand champion drive was fun.

“It felt good to be back in the ring and competing for the overall champion. This means so much to me, and I’m very excited I won,” Grady said. “I’m thankful they were able to put on a show for all of us.”

Grateful words from a sincere young man.

And that appreciation was felt by all who walked through the barns and into the ring. The event brought the stock show community together, and it allowed the world to see the good livestock shows do for Texas youth.

“So many people just keep telling us ‘thank you for having a show,’” Allison said. “But that’s what we’re ultimately here for—the kids. Although we miss having carnival rides, fair food and those kinds of things, we felt like it was our duty to try to do everything we could to help make this happen for the kids.”

And that’s what they did.

“We have a great group of volunteers who stepped up and helped. We worked with our city and county officials to make something happen for the kids. Although we were only allowed to have parents and FFA and 4-H advisors here with the exhibitors, it’s still a special feeling to host the show,” Allison said. “With help from Texas Farm Bureau and the State Fair of Texas, we brought back some normalcy for our youth. And that’s what’s important.”

Youth exhibitors showed up in large numbers. Nearly 1,200 heifers and more than 530 steers and 225 breeding gilts were exhibited in Waco.

“This is a one-of-a-kind show, and I hope and pray that it stays that way,” Allison said.

But The United will always be remembered as the show that went on.

And when the banners fade, the friendships and memories that were made will last long after. Because in a year that was filled with uncertainty, something good happened.