What the GJLF Expo Is
The GJLF Expo is the Georgia Junior Livestock Foundation's showcase event for youth livestock exhibitors, held at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry. The Foundation is a statewide organization that supports young livestock exhibitors in Georgia. The 2026 Expo runs December 9 through December 12, 2026, and the Foundation runs the entry process through The Show Portal.
The details below come from the Foundation's most recent published exhibitor book (the 2024 Expo, December 12 to 15) and from the 2025 schedule. Rules, fees and times can change from year to year, so check the 2026 entry page before you commit.
Shows and Who Can Enter
| Species | What is shown | Entry rules (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Swine | Market barrows, market gilts, purebred breeding gilts, crossbred breeding gilts, purebred barrows. No boars. | $35 per pig. Purebreds registered with the National Swine Registry and farrowed on or after June 1, 2024. |
| Beef cattle | Market steers, market heifers, and a heifer show by breed. | $45 per head. Heifers born on or after January 1, 2023. |
| Goats | Wether dam does | Does owned by the exhibitor; registered does need ABGA registration. |
| Sheep | Breeding ewes | Ewes owned by the exhibitor; registered ewes need breed association papers. |
| Dairy | Commercial dairy heifers | $30 per heifer, up to five heifers per exhibitor. |
Swine, cattle, goat and sheep exhibitors must be 21 or under, and those shows are open to exhibitors from anywhere. Commercial dairy heifer exhibitors must be in fourth grade or higher and not have completed high school. Animals do not have to have been entered in the Georgia state shows.
How It Works: The Timeline
- Entries: online through The Show Portal. In 2024 the swine, cattle, goat and sheep window ran November 1 to December 1. Late entries cost an extra $20 per head, paid in cash at check-in.
- Move-in: the opening day is for livestock arrival. In 2025 move-in ran 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the first day, and shows began the next morning.
- Check-in: in 2024, early swine and cattle check-in ran 3 to 6 p.m. the day before the first show day, with feeding clinics and fitting contests earlier that afternoon. Check-in for hogs, dairy heifers, ewes and does ran 8 to 11 a.m. on show day, and all animals had to be in place by 11 a.m.
- Show days: in 2024, cattle showmanship opened the ring at 8:30 a.m., followed by market beef and the breed heifer shows, with hog and sheep showmanship that afternoon. The final day held the market hog show, dairy heifer show, breeding ewe and doe shows, the remaining heifer show, and the supreme gilt drive, market hog jackpot and combined final drive.
Rules to Know
- Hogs must be blood tested for PRV and brucellosis and carry an official health certificate. Market hogs need clean, readable ear tags before check-in and a weight card.
- Goats and sheep need health certificates and scrapie tags, and must be housed in the barn rather than in trailers.
- Cattle need valid health papers. Heifer breeds need at least eight pre-entered heifers to show as their own breed; smaller groups move into AOB.
- Showmanship is divided by age, youngest to oldest.
- No alcohol on the fairgrounds during junior shows, and no overnight camping in barns.
- Entry fees are not refunded, and the rules committee's decisions are final.
Awards and Premiums
Exhibitors compete for cash premiums. In 2024 the posted payouts included:
- Market hog jackpot: champion $1,500, reserve $1,000, third $600, with payouts down to tenth place (based on 600 entries).
- Beef: champion heifer $1,000; progress market champion $1,000; prospect market champion $500. Showmanship pays 100 percent back to the top three.
- Goats, sheep and dairy: supreme $500, reserve $400, third $300, plus division prizes of $75, $50 and $25.
- Hog showmanship: a jackpot built from $10 entry fees.
The Expo also held scholarship interviews for exhibitors on the afternoon before the first show day in 2024.
Where
Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry, Georgia 31069.
Questions
Do I need to show at the state shows first?
No. Pigs and cattle do not need to be entered in the state market hog or state cattle shows.
Can I enter a boar?
No. Boars are not allowed in the swine shows.
Where do dairy heifers check in?
In 2024, commercial dairy heifers checked in and were weighed from 8 to 11 a.m. on the first show day.
Who do I call?
The Expo page lists Josh Whitworth at (229) 254-4746, who also served as the swine superintendent in 2024.
Official Links
- GJLF Expo entry page on The Show Portal
- Georgia National Fairgrounds: Georgia Junior Livestock Foundation Expo
- GJLF Expo exhibitor book (2024)
- Georgia 4-H livestock calendar
Georgia County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows: The Essentials
Georgia's youth livestock season runs from January jackpots to the Georgia National Fair in Perry, which ran through October 18 in 2026, per WTOC. The top show is the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show in Perry: lambs and goats October 7 to 11, 2026, and hogs, beef, heifers, ewes and does February 17 to 20, 2027, per Georgia 4-H.
Who can show
Georgia 4-H and FFA members who have not finished high school. Grade minimums run from 1st grade for lambs and goats to 4th grade for beef.
Tags and papers
Market lambs and goats need state ear tags by August 1 and hogs by December 5. Livestock need a veterinary inspection certificate.
Next steps
Ask your county Extension agent or ag teacher for the fair book and entry dates.
Rules differ by fair.
Read the full guide: Georgia County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- ABAC Sigma Alpha Emerald Exhibition
Weekend livestock exhibition in Perry hosted by the ABAC Sigma Alpha chapter at the Georgia National Fairgrounds.
Perry, GA Official event details - Georgia 4-H / FFA Rabbit Show
Statewide rabbit show for 4-H and FFA members held at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry.
Perry, GA Official event details - Houston County High FFA Dairy Heifer Show
Dairy heifer show hosted by Houston County High FFA at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry.
Perry, GA Official event details - Georgia Junior National Livestock Show
Statewide junior show hosted by Georgia 4-H, Georgia FFA and the UGA Rhodes Animal & Dairy Science Department, with market beef, hog, lamb and goat classes plus breeding heifer, ewe, doe and dairy classes.
- Georgia National Fair
Georgia state fair in Perry with livestock shows, a midway, concerts and Georgia Grown exhibits. Held each year; the 2026 fair ran Oct. 8-18 and the 2027 fair is slated for Oct. 7-17.
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.