What the Dixie National Junior Round-Up Is
The Dixie National Junior Round-Up is the largest junior market livestock show in Mississippi and the high point of the state's 4-H and FFA show season. Youth bring beef cattle, sheep, goats, swine and dairy animals to the Mississippi Fairgrounds in Jackson as part of the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo. The 2027 show runs February 1-11. It is run by MSU Extension, the Mississippi Department of Education and the Mississippi Fair Commission.
Divisions and Ways to Enter
- Beef: market steers, commercial beef heifers and beef breeding animals, plus beef showmanship
- Swine: market hogs, Mississippi Bred barrows and commercial gilts, plus swine showmanship
- Sheep: market lambs, market hair sheep, wether dams and breeding hair sheep, plus a sheep lead class
- Goats: market goats, commercial meat goat does and registered breeding Boer does
- Dairy cattle and dairy goats: commercial and registered classes with showmanship
- Special contests: Premier Exhibitor, steer ultrasound and Legislative Livestock Showdown
Who Can Enter and Rules
Exhibitors must live in Mississippi and be active members of a 4-H club or FFA chapter in the state. Age is figured on January 1 of the show year: an exhibitor must be at least 8 and must not have turned 18 before that date. A youth who has not turned 19 by January 1 and is still enrolled in high school can also show. Exhibitors and parents must complete the Mississippi Youth Livestock Producer Quality Assurance program.
Entries are made through the county Extension agent or agriculture teacher, not by the family. Animals must be owned and cared for by the exhibitor from the ownership deadline through show day, and partnerships with an adult are not allowed. Market and commercial animals carry an official 840 EID ear tag and are DNA-validated from hair samples. A veterinarian's health certificate is required to enter the fairgrounds.
Some limits from last year's rule book: market steers must weigh at least 1,000 pounds and be clipped to no more than a quarter inch of hair at weigh-in; market hogs, 200 pounds; market lambs, 70; market goats, 60. Drug use and unethical fitting bring disqualification and loss of premiums and sale money.
Key Dates and Deadlines
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Ownership and county Extension office deadline for market steers, lambs, goats and hair sheep |
| December 1, 2026 | Ownership and county office deadline for market hogs, barrows, gilts, breeding and dairy animals, heifers, wether dams and does |
| December 4, 2026 | End of day: Showman app deadline for new nominations ($10 per head) |
| December 14-17, 2026 | Classification and DNA hair collection at Hattiesburg (Dec. 14), Raymond (Dec. 15), Greenwood (Dec. 16) and Oxford (Dec. 17) |
| January 5, 2027 | Showman app entry deadline for district shows and the Round-Up |
| February 1-11, 2027 | Dixie National Junior Round-Up, Jackson |
Fees, Awards and What You Get
The Round-Up entry fee is $5 per head, and each district show sets its own per-head fee. Class premiums are modest: last year's market steer class paid $50, $45 and $40 for the top three places. The big money is in the sale and the scholarships.
Show champions and reserve champions in the steer, lamb, hair sheep, hog, Mississippi Bred barrow and goat shows are eligible for the Dixie National Sale of Champions, held in the Trade Mart on the final Thursday. In 2026, 40 animals sold for a preliminary gross of $578,050; the grand champion hog brought $26,000 and the grand champion steer $25,000. The sale committee also awarded 41 scholarships totaling $85,000, and has given more than $1.27 million in scholarships since 1993. Steers in the ultrasound contest that grade low Choice or better can win $1,000 for first place down to $100 for fifth.
In 2025, 1,269 Mississippi 4-H and FFA youth exhibited 1,941 head.
Where
Mississippi State Fairgrounds, 1207 Mississippi Street, Jackson. The fairgrounds administrative office is 601-961-4000.
Questions
Can my family sign us up directly?
No. All livestock entries are made by the supervising county Extension agent or agriculture teacher.
Can I show an animal owned jointly with an adult?
No. Only brothers and sisters aged 18 and under can share ownership, and the animal is entered under one exhibitor's name.
Do FFA and 4-H members both qualify?
Yes. Membership in either in Mississippi satisfies the rule. Out-of-state youth cannot enter.
Official Links
- 2026 Mississippi State Fair and 2027 Dixie National Junior Round-Up General Rules (MSU Extension)
- 2026 Junior and Open Livestock Show Premium Book (Dixie National)
- 2026 Animal Lines, March (Round-Up results)
- Special Contests: Premier Exhibitor, Steer Ultrasound and Legislative Livestock Showdown
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- MSFB Classic Livestock Show
The Mississippi Farm Bureau Classic Livestock Show fills the Livestock Arena at the Mississippi Fairgrounds in Jackson. Held each year; the most recent dates were November 20-22, 2026.
- Tri-State Rodeo Finals
Rodeo finals are held at the Kirk Fordice Equine Center on the Mississippi Fairgrounds in Jackson, with flag girl tryouts alongside. Held each year; the most recent dates were November 20-21, 2026.
- MS Ag and Outdoor Expo
Farm, ranch and outdoor exhibitors gather at the Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson for a three-day expo scheduled for February 19-21, 2027.
Jackson, MS Official event details - Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo
The 61st Dixie National Rodeo ran nine performances over two weekends at the State Fairgrounds in Jackson. Held each year in February; the most recent dates were February 13-21, 2026.
- Dixie National Rodeo
Nine-performance professional rodeo over two weekends at the Jackson fairgrounds, paired with concerts by Joe Nichols, Tanya Tucker, Mark Chesnutt and others. Held each year; the most recent dates were February 13-21, 2026.
All Mississippi events by date
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.