The Hays County Youth Livestock Show wrapped up on Saturday with the presentation of awards and an auction.
“I want to reach out and thank all of our sponsors for supporting our event,” said Jeff Dodd, president of the Hays County Youth Livestock Show. “We’ve had a tremendous year, over the top huge success, and it would not have been possible without all our volunteers, our sponsors and our supporters. We want to congratulate all of our kids on their success, and we’re looking forward to our next event in 2021.”
San Marcos CISD’s FFA totaled over $25,000 at the show’s auction.
Several students came home with awards:
- Roman Benitez: 1st in Class Market Lamb, Breed Champion Southdown and Reserve Champion Lamb Overall (Sale Lot)
- Maya Zdeb: 6th Place Fryer Rabbit (earned $50) and 28th Place Market Rabbits (Sale Lot)
- Reagan Sproull: 8th Place Market Rabbits (Sale Lot)
- Colton Engler: 3rd Place Market Lamb and 4th Place Market Lamb
- Annaleah Lombardo: 5th Place Market goat (Sale Lot), 5th Place Market Lamb (Sale Lot) and 6th Place Market lambs
- Issac Marcantel: 2nd Place Market Lamb (Sale Lot) and Champion Breeding Ewe (Sale Lot)
- Ancil Marcantel: 3rd Place Market Lamb (Sale Lot) and 5th Place Market Goat
- Klare Hurtado: 12th Place Market Broilers (Sale Lot), 6th Place Market Goat (Sale Lot), 7th Place Market Lamb and 8th Place Market Lamb
- Ellie Hurtado: 6th Place Market Lamb (Sale Lot) and 8th Place Market Lamb
- Taylor Brown: 14th Place Market Broilers (Sale Lot)
- Joseph Niño: 4th Place Breeding Heifer, 1st Place Jr. Breeding Heifer, 3rd Place British Market Steer, Reserve Breed Champion Steer (Sale Lot), 6th Place AOB Market Steer, Senior Showmanship Market Steers, Home Skills: Grand Champion Pie (Sale Lot)
- Carlos Montemayor: 3rd Place Market Steer
- Solidad Casarez Soto: Grand Champion Breeding Heifer (Sale Lot), 3rd Place Market Steer, 6th Place Breeding Heifer, 13th Place Market Lamb and Home Skills Blue Ribbon — Biscochos
- Penelope Soto: Home Skills Blue Ribbon - Horseshoe Dreamcatcher, Home Skills Red Ribbon- Marranitos, Junior Showmanship Cattle, 3rd Place Breeding Heifer and 2nd Place Market Steer
- Jeremy Rowley: 1st Place Breeding Rabbits
- Jason Rowley:1st Place Breeding Rabbits
- Jillian Sanchez: Home Skills Red & White Ribbon
- Hannah McCutcheon: Home Skills Blue Ribbon Bread, Home Skills Red Ribbon Pie, Home Skills White Ribbon Photo, Ag Mechanics Blue Ribbon
- Colton Engler, Chase Martinez and Jack Murphy: Ag Mechanics Project, Shooting Table, Ag Mechanics Project and Bunk Feeder
This year’s queen was Grace Vasicek. Vasicek won the National Field Archery Association (NFAA) Championship in the Barebow Youth Female category in 2018, and plans on competing for an archery spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. She is currently in her high school junior year, and being home-schooled through Pemberton Academy.
Soli Casarez Soto and her sister Penelope Soto won for a Grand Champion Breeding Heifer.
The 2020 Royal Court consisted of (alphabetically by last name): Princess Faith Baxter, Queen Emeritus Mia Cariaga, Ambassador Caleb Covarrubiasm, Senior Ambassador Ty Dahlstrom, Duchess Konleigh Eben, Ambassador Mason Elmer, Duchess Hannah Griffin, Ambassador Weston Gutierrez, Ambassador Jacob Hill, Duchess Anna Lean Lombardo, Ambassador Hayden Lugo, Ambassador Guy Massey, Duchess Rebecca McDaniel, Ambassador Emeritus Joseph Nino, Ambassador Hunter Savage-Pierce, Duchess Alyssa Tate, Queen Grace Vasicek, Duchess Caitlyn Warren and Duchess Arielle Wortham
The show’s Queen’s Court was begun in 1978 by Dr. Glen M. Rydl when he was president of the Hays County Livestock Exhibition.
“I was judging a show in Comal County, talking to some people there, and they said, ‘You know we have a queen and a court,’” Dr. Rydl said. “So I went back to my board of directors and said, ‘You know we ought to have a queen and court as well.’ They agreed, and so we did. The first queen in 1978 was Melody Chandler from Dripping Springs. She was a member of the Dripping Springs FFA.”
“To be on the court, the kids have to do a number of community service hours, It’s not just a beauty contest as some people think it is,” Dr. Rydl said, “They have to exhibit leadership and become role model for other kids. I would also like to thank Janice Weinheiner. She has been a key volunteer over the years, and has really grown the program into something very meaningful for the community and the kids who participate in our programs.”
This year’s show judges were: Brock Herren for swine; Kevin Newson for goats; Charles Praue for ag mech, Vickie Muni for horses, Stephen Zoeller for cattle, Drew Gonzales for lamb; Kyle Morenroth for poultry; and Frank Farrow for rabbits.
For a list of this year’s top buyers, visit the Hays County Livestock Show's website.
Additional reporting by Lance Winter
