What the New Mexico State Fair Junior Livestock Show Is
The Junior Livestock Show is the youth livestock competition at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque. About 500 young people from across New Mexico take part each year, and roughly 1,500 animals compete. It is where a season of daily chores, feeding, washing, walking and grooming gets judged in the ring, and where the best market animals go on to the Junior Livestock Sale. The show is held at Expo New Mexico during the State Fair, which runs September 10 to 20 in 2026.
Species and Shows
Exhibitors show steers, heifers, swine, goats and sheep. The fair builds a week of separate shows around them, using several barns and rings on the grounds.
| Show | Where |
|---|---|
| New Mexico Bred Swine Show | Swine Barn |
| Junior Market Steer and Heifer Show | Junior Livestock Pavilion |
| Junior Breeding Heifer Show | Junior Livestock Pavilion |
| Open and Junior Dairy Cattle Show | Beef Barn |
| Junior Dairy Goat Show and Showmanship | Junior Livestock Pavilion |
| Livestock Judging Contest | Beef Barn |
| Parade of Champions | Tingley Coliseum |
| Junior Livestock Sale | Horse Arena |
How It Works: The Timeline
Using the 2024 fair as the example, the week began with the New Mexico Bred Swine Show at 8 a.m. on the first Sunday. That same day the Junior Market Steer and Heifer Show started at 9 a.m., the dairy cattle show at 10 a.m. and the Junior Breeding Heifer Show at 2 p.m. The goat shows and the Livestock Judging Contest came later in the week, the Parade of Champions took place at 7 p.m. on Thursday in Tingley Coliseum, and the Junior Livestock Sale opened at 1 p.m. on Friday in the Horse Arena. Exact times shift from year to year, so check the current fair schedule before you plan a trip.
The Junior Livestock Sale
About 100 animals sell at the sale, and the sale is where the work turns into money for the exhibitor. Totals have been climbing: the 2023 sale set a record of $710,000, up from $610,000 in 2022. Grand Champion steers typically bring $15,000 to $20,000, and the 2023 Grand Champion steer, shown by Caleb Ramsey of Otero County, sold for $25,000.
Who Takes Part
Exhibitors are young people from counties all over the state, including Otero, Curry, Roosevelt, Eddy, Sierra and Rio Arriba. Older exhibitors compete alongside ten-year-olds, and the 2024 show included a 10-year-old Reserve Grand Champion in a pure-breed swine class and an 18-year-old finishing his last year of junior competition. Winners earn championship belt buckles, a prize many exhibitors collect over several seasons.
What You Get
- Ring placings, champion titles and belt buckles for top animals.
- A shot at the Junior Livestock Sale and its premium prices.
- Showmanship, dairy goat and livestock judging contests alongside the market classes.
- A turn in the Parade of Champions in Tingley Coliseum.
Where
Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque, in the Swine Barn, Junior Livestock Pavilion, Beef Barn, Horse Arena and Tingley Coliseum.
Questions
How big is the show?
About 500 exhibitors and roughly 1,500 animals each year.
Which animals can be shown?
Steers, heifers, swine, goats and sheep.
How much do champions sell for?
Grand Champion steers typically bring $15,000 to $20,000, and the 2023 champion steer sold for $25,000.
Where do I check the current schedule and entry rules?
Ask your county Extension office or 4-H or FFA advisor, who handle entries for exhibitors in their county.
Official Links
- Albuquerque Journal: Swine that shine, goats galore: the Junior Livestock Show at the State Fair
- New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association fair list: 2026 fair dates
New Mexico County Fairs: The Essentials
New Mexico county fairs are run through local NMSU Cooperative Extension offices, and every county publishes its own fair book. Check yours before buying an animal, because rules differ.
2026 dates
Chaves County ran July 24 to August 1, Eastern Navajo held its show July 23 and 24, Curry County ran August 10 to 15 and Socorro County ran August 31 to September 6, per their fair books.
What varies
Minimum market steer weights range from 800 pounds in Chaves to 950 in Curry County. Ownership deadlines, tagging, health papers and entry fees also differ, and Curry requires YQCA for production steers.
Sale and state fair
Each fair holds a junior livestock sale; Curry caps slots at 102 and lets each exhibitor sell one animal. Blue ribbon winners and qualifying livestock exhibitors can go on to the New Mexico State Fair at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque. Entry deadlines run from mid-June to August 1, so mark them early. Ask your Extension office for next year's fair book and deadlines.
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Bernalillo County Pressure Canner Testing
Home canners bring pressure canner gauges for testing in a Wednesday afternoon session. Held several times each year; the most recent session was November 11, 2026.
1510 Menaul Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107 | (505) 243-1386 | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details - Successful Weed Control Class
Registration-required Extension class on controlling weeds on small acreages and home landscapes. Held each year; the most recent class was November 14, 2026.
Albuquerque, NM | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details - Bachechi Speaker Series Animal Trailing
Morning talk on animal trailing at the Bachechi Open Space in Albuquerque's North Valley, part of an Extension speaker series. Held on the stated date, November 21, 2026.
Albuquerque, NM | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details - Think Trees New Mexico Conference
Two-day tree and urban forestry conference in Albuquerque promoted by Bernalillo County Extension. Next dates are February 11 and 12, 2027.
Albuquerque, NM | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details - Bernalillo County Fair
Bernalillo County fair running about a week at the end of July; held each year, and the the 2026 fair ran July 24 to August 1.
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.