County fair coming soon to Cherokee

Some of the area’s finest livestock are being groomed for the annual Alfalfa County Junior Livestock Show that will start Monday morning, Feb. 22, in the indoor arena at the county fairgrounds.

Residents involved in county 4-H and FFA chapters will weigh in their animals from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 25.

Contestants will also sign up for the showmanship competition, present their papers and enter their horses.

At 1 p.m., the goat showmanship and then the goat show will begin, followed by the sheep showmanship and sheep show.

Taking center stage at 6 p.m. will be the cattle showmanship and cattle show.

Tuesday, Feb. 23 is considered to be the busiest day for everyone involved with the show, from competitors to judges to the all-important volunteers.

The swine showmanship and show get under way at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and will be followed by the horse showmanship and show at 1 p.m.

After the conclusion of the horse show, the livestock judging contest will start.

The final event of the day will be the livestock judging contest, after which all animals will be released to their owners.

The evening of Wednesday, Feb. 24 is an anticipated time for competitors when the Junior Livestock Show Banquet and Awards Show is held in the Fairgrounds Exhibit Building. The banquet meal will be served at 5 p.m. and the premium sale will follow at 6:30 p.m. One by one, exhibitors from the county will come to the front of the room, giving area merchants, along with 4-H and FFA booster clubs, an opportunity to reward them with cash premiums to help offset the cost of preparing their animals for the show.