By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News | Photo courtesy of the Southeastern Utah Junior Livestock Show
An event that has thrilled generations of agriculture enthusiasts in the Castle Country returns beginning July 8 as the Southeastern Utah Junior Livestock Show kicks off in Castle Dale.
Taking place in Castle Dale’s Blue Sage Arena, the four day affair features a wide-variety of animals being shown and activities for participants.
To discuss the event from both the organizational and participant perspectives, Kaylee Morris, alongside Lacey Morris and Carson Morris, joined the KOAL newsroom for an in-depth preview of the show.
“We have kids from ages eight up to 18. And they’re 4-H and FFA kids. They come, and they show off their projects that they have been working on throughout the summer. A lot of these kids have a steer that they raise for about a year, and then they also have goats, sheep, and pigs that they have been working on for about three months. They’re training them and feeding them and walking them, and they are grooming them,” shared Kaylee Morris. “They work their hardest, and then they come to our show, and they present in front of a judge, and there’s a group of people that come on the stands, and they’re watching them and supporting their kids.”
Taking place over four days, the event features over 275 participants, engaging not only in the judging of show animals, but also in judging contests, showmanship contests, and other fun activities such as a pool party and exhibitors’ dance.
Moving to the participant perspective, 11-year-old Lacey Morris spoke on what inspires her to continue to compete at the SEUJLS: “I love animals, and every time I show my animal, I feel like I have accomplished something great. When I show my goats and lamb, every time I set them up, I feel like I am going to win. I’m going to accomplish something great today.”
She also shared some of the preparation that goes into the process.
“We wash our animals, and then we blow-dry them. So if I do a goat, I blow-dry the entire animal to make sure it’s dry so that when the judge puts his hand on the animal to feel how much muscle it has, that it feels clean and doesn’t have a lot of dirt on his hand after he touches my animal,” she explained. “We want our animals clean, and then we have to work their legs and fluff them up to make it look like they’re bigger boned for the judge, because the bigger the bone, the better quality the meat is.”
Moving from a veteran perspective to a rookie, nine-year-old Carson Morris shared what he is most excited for as he prepares for his first stock show, stating simply, “winning all those belt buckles.”
A full schedule of events for the SEUJLS can be found online by viewing the events Facebook page. Additionally, you can contact the organizers by email at utahseujls@gmail.com.
“Come on out and watch these kids,” closed Kaylee Morris. “They would love to have you there cheering them on.”
