Last week’s Texas County Livestock Fair was a pretty big deal.
Hosted by the Texas County Fair Board Wednesday through Saturday at the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce Fairgrounds, the event drew hundreds of participants and featured more than 120 animals in the showing competitions, according to Fair Board chairman Darren Ice. More than 100 transactions took place Saturday afternoon at the event’s culminating activity, the annual Junior Livestock Sale.
Several area individuals, businesses and organizations contributed financially to the event.
Intercounty Electric Cooperative, of Licking, donated a large tent to house 4-H and home economics entries, and Rep. Robert Ross funded the rental of a large inflatable slide and bounce house provided by the Houston Do-It-Center.
The Raymondville-based Texas County Rural Area Information Network (T.R.A.I.N.) provided free wi-fi in the livestock showing area and Fair Board office building, and three local entities combined to help the Fair Board purchase insurance for the event: Bruce Scheets Auction Services, Romines Motor Co. and Larson Farm and Lawn.
Dozens of volunteers gave their time and effort to help in dozens of ways, from herding pigs in and out of the showing arena to cooking and serving food and drink at the cook shack.
“We’re very thankful to everybody who gets involved and wants to see kids in the community show their animals and show pride in what they’re doing,” Ice said. “It takes a big commitment to do this, and we need all the help we get from all the people who provide it.”
Ice said ground will be broken later this year on a sizable building near the existing livestock barns at the fairgrounds designed to house 4-H and home economics entries at future livestock fairs and act as a multi-purpose indoor facility during other events. Funding for the air-conditioned structure is being provided by a Missouri Department of Agriculture BOAC grant (Building Our American Communities), a program that assists state FFA and 4-H chapters with projects.