Springtime in Alabama brings a wealth of livestock opportunities for youth to learn, compete and connect statewide. From first-timers to lifelong livestock exhibitors, Alabama youth will find livestock events tailored to every experience level in 2026.
Youth livestock program manager at Auburn University, Reid McGuire has big plans with several events next year both new and old. Alongside new opportunities, McGuire is preserving time-honored programming that reflect the Auburn University agricultural heritage and extend statewide.
“Coming up, we have everything from our annual Skillathon and Quiz Bowl in January to the Southeastern Livestock Exhibition (SLE) held every March,” McGuire said. “Every strong turnout is a testament to the meaningful work being done by our teams at Auburn and Alabama Extension.”
As a third-generation cattleman and 4-H alumnus, McGuire coordinates clinics that help prepare participants for life after 4-H, FFA and other agricultural clubs. Through hands-on clinics and mentorship, youth gain insight into careers in animal nutrition, Extension, education, biotechnology and beyond.
In fact, youth and families interested in participating in goat showing can attend the goat showing clinic in conjunction with the SLE on Sunday, March 15.
“Whenever kids and parents express their first interest in showing livestock, I always recommend showing goats as a steppingstone,” McGuire said. “Not only are goats fun to show, but it is much more cost-efficient and a little easier than starting out going straight to showing cattle.”
At its core, what does livestock exhibition involve? Since the 1800s, livestock exhibitions have been a part of fairs in the United States. Combining educational outreach and celebrating rural heritage, livestock exhibition shows allow people to see agriculture firsthand.
As a way to build skills and confidence, livestock exhibitions provide a platform for youth and producers to present animals in competitive settings. These events highlight animal husbandry, conformation and spotlight showmanship. 4-H and FFA offer many livestock shows to participate in all year long. In the spring, hog and cattle show opportunities are available for new and seasoned exhibitors.
With many volunteer-led events and programming, youth livestock participation is not truly limited to youth. Often, livestock exhibitions are a family affair and provide a great opportunity for siblings and parents to work together with their animals. When families participate together, livestock events become meaningful fellowship for fostering connection and community.
An honored tradition through Auburn and 4-H is livestock judging competitions. Livestock judging gives youth a chance to demonstrate their understanding of animal structure, performance and potential. Participants evaluate cattle, swine, sheep or goats in competitive settings. At the collegiate level, the Auburn University livestock judging team competes across the U.S., demonstrating their skills against elite programs nationwide.
While animal evaluation is central, livestock judging competitions are not limited to solely to evaluation rankings. The contests also have an individual component where the youth prepare short presentations explaining their evaluations called reasons. These presentations allow competitors to showcase their skills in public speaking, critical thinking and livestock expertise.
“We hear all the time that employers struggle to find candidates with those soft skills needed for high job performance,” said McGuire. “Through mentorship and competition, we are instilling those essential lessons into our students, so they carry them into their careers.”
From clinics to competitions, Alabama’s youth livestock programs continue to shape future leaders in agriculture with hands-on experiences. As spring approaches, several opportunities are available to get out and get involved.
Upcoming Events
Below is a list of upcoming events:
- Auburn University Block and Bridle Competition: January 17, 2026
- 4-H State Livestock State Skillathon: January 23, 2026
- 4-H State Livestock State Quiz Bowl: January 24, 2026
- Agribition Multi-species Show Central Alabama: February 6-7, 2026
- Junior Livestock Expo: March 16-18, 2026
- Southeastern Livestock Exhibition Youth Livestock Judging Contest: March 11, 2026
- Alabama Goat Showing Clinic: March 15, 2026
- Southeastern Livestock Exhibition Junior Livestock Exposition: March 22-26
