The San Joaquin AgFest Junior Livestock Show and Auction will take place from Friday, June 10 through Saturday, June 18, 2022 at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton. All San Joaquin County 4-H, Grange, and FFA members with projects in the beef, swine, sheep, goats, dairy, rabbits, poultry, turkeys, cavy, and dog areas will compete at the show and auction. Members who have vocational projects such as welding, wood, plants, and vegetables will also exhibit their projects during the nine-day show.
The San Joaquin AgFest Jr. Livestock Show and Auction replaces the San Joaquin County Fair’s livestock show and auction. In 2013, the San Joaquin County Fair decided that they financially could not put on a fair. So, the parents, leaders, and advisors organized a non-profit organization and created AgFest so youth members had a place to show their livestock and vocational projects.
All of the exhibitors learn to custom feed and humanely raise their large or small livestock projects. During the show all the animals are judged by qualified industry professionals to be determined market-ready. Many of the members who raise animals will use the profit for college or trade school education in the future. Some of the members started with one animal and began a breeding program. By the end of their 4-H or FFA career, they will have a herd of animals or a flock of birds and possibly a small business.
Admission is free and parking is $10 per car.
The junior show and auction has a website, www.sanjoaquinagfest.org with a list of daily events and livestock shows.
Friday, June 10 will begin with the Dairy Goat Showmanship and Dairy Cattle and Replacement Heifer Showmanship as well as ag mechanics, ag panels, entomology, floriculture and horticulture viewing.
Saturday, June 11 the focus will be on dairy, breeding sheep and breeding goats as well as include an auction for dairy replacement heifers.
Breeding Beef Show and Showmanship tops the Sunday, June 12 schedule with a full day of activities set on Monday, June 13 from market goats to dog obedience to hay bucking and corn hole contests.
Tuesday, June 14 includes events such as the market swine, goat, beef and sheep shows and the CattleWomen’s Exhibitor Hamburger Dinner along with the Supreme Champion Drive.
Several showmanship classes take center stage on Wednesday, June 15 and coming up on Thursday, June 16 will be a cavie show and showmanship, plus breeding and market rabbit shows. Also featured that evening will be the Costume Contest featuring Swine, Small Animals, Sheep, Goats and Beef.
Friday, June 17 brings the Floral Challenge as well as Master Showmanship events, the Awards Ceremony at 5 p.m. and the AgFest Dance Party at 7 p.m.
Wrapping up this year’s fest will be the auction day on Saturday, June 18.
