What the Hyde County 4-H Livestock Show and Sale Is
The Hyde County 4-H Livestock Show and Sale is a youth market livestock project that ends in a show and sale at the Ponzer Community Building. The 36th annual show and sale is set for Wednesday, April 28, 2027. It is run by the Hyde County 4-H Livestock Committee with N.C. Cooperative Extension, and young exhibitors raise lambs, goats and hogs, learn showmanship, and write to prospective buyers.
Eligibility, species rules, fees and the 2027 schedule will be posted by Extension this fall. The most recent published timeline, from the 2026 show, shows how the year unfolds.
How It Works: The 2026 Timeline
| Date (2026) | Step |
|---|---|
| January 16 | Register and turn in the letter of intent; $20 non-refundable fee |
| February 23 and 27 | Animal information and receipt forms due (lambs and goats, then hogs) |
| March 2 | Market information form due |
| Week of March 2-6 | Pick up record books at the Hyde Extension Office |
| March 19 | Three buyer letters due (handwritten, addressed, stamped and unsealed); mandatory free showmanship clinic at Ponzer, 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. |
| Through April 6 | Sell three Little Caesar's pizza kits |
| April 8 | Livestock fashion show registration and weight check sign-up (by email) |
| April 15 | Showmanship test completed; optional weight check at Ponzer, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. |
| April 22 | Record book due; show check-in by noon |
| May 1 | Thank-you letters and financial summaries due |
| June 30 to July 2 | Pick up show checks (subject to change) |
Random pen checks happen in March and/or April. Exhibitors and parents do not need to be present, and families are notified before visits.
What You Get
Exhibitors complete record books, practice showmanship and receive a show check after the sale. Resources for families include showmanship PowerPoints for hogs and for sheep and goats, N.C. State Extension guides for swine, meat goats and sheep, a Livestock Showmanship 101 PDF, and guidelines for writing invitation letters to potential buyers.
Buyers and Sponsors
People who want to buy an animal or sponsor a project can sign up on the Buyer and Sponsor Registration form on the Extension page. A buyer's list sign-up form is also posted. Updates also go out by text signup and on the Hyde County 4-H Facebook and Instagram pages.
The Committee
The livestock committee is chaired by Dawn Davis, with Suzanne Torres as secretary. Members are Dawn Armstrong, Danielle Arthur, Daniel Cahoon, Cleve Gibbs, Loren Gibbs, John Melvin, Kyle Mooney, Stephen Pearce and Emma Williams. Lee Brimmage, Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development, is the main contact.
Where
Ponzer Community Building, Ponzer, NC. The Hyde County Extension office is at 30 Oyster Creek Road, Swan Quarter, NC 27885 (mail: PO Box 219, Swan Quarter, NC 27885), open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Accommodation requests should be made at least 10 days before the event.
Questions
When is the next show?
Wednesday, April 28, 2027, at the Ponzer Community Building.
What does it cost to sign up?
The 2026 registration fee was $20, non-refundable.
Is the showmanship clinic required?
In 2026 the clinic was mandatory and free.
Who do I call?
The Hyde County Extension office at 252.926.4487.
Official Links
- Hyde County 4-H Livestock Show and Sale, Hyde County Extension: timeline, resources, buyer registration and committee
North Carolina Cooperative Extension: The Essentials
North Carolina Cooperative Extension serves all 100 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee through 101 local centers, per the Extension overview. It is a partnership of N.C. State, N.C. A&T, USDA and local governments.
Programs
Program areas include agriculture, food and nutrition, 4-H youth development, environmental and natural resources, home and families, and community and rural development.
Find your center
The county centers list links each county name to its own site.
4-H and gardens
The 2022 annual report counted 188,255 youth in 4-H activities and Master Gardener programs in 83 counties.
Soil tests
Soil testing is free for residents until samples reach the Raleigh lab by 5:00 p.m. on November 30, then $5 per sample, per the NCDA&CS notice.
N.C. A&T
Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T focuses on small farms, food safety, families and 4-H, with special attention to small, beginning and limited-resource farmers.
Next steps
Call your county center before you visit, and bring a sample or photo.
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Harnett County 4-H Art Showcase
Farm City Week 4-H art contest and display; entries are taken the morning of November 13, 2026, shown during Ag Day on November 14, and released at 2 PM.
- Harnett County Ag Day
Farm City Week Ag Day in Lillington at the Harnett County Resource Center and Library, set for November 14, 2026 and held each year in mid-November.
Lillington, NC | Organizer: Harnett County Center, N.C. Cooperative Extension Official event details - Johnston County Youth Livestock Festival Supper
Festival supper on Friday, November 20, 2026 that leads into the Johnston County Youth Livestock Show & Sale held the following March in Smithfield.
2736 NC 210 Highway, Ste A, Smithfield, NC 27577 | Organizer: Johnston County Cooperative Extension Official event details - NC Youth Cattle Working Contest, Ashe County Regional
Regional round of the NC Youth Cattle Working Contest for youth from Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba and nearby counties, at the Ashe County Agriculture Center on November 23, 2026.
162 Agriculture Way, Jefferson, NC 28640 | Organizer: N.C. Cooperative Extension Official event details - Catawba County 4-H Livestock Club
Monthly evening meeting of the Catawba County 4-H Livestock Club for youth ages 5 and older, hosted by the Catawba County Center in Newton; next meeting Monday, January 4, 2027.
1175 S Brady Ave, Newton, NC 28658 | (828) 465-8240 | Organizer: N.C. Cooperative Extension, Catawba County Center Official event details
All North Carolina events by date
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.