What the Johnston County Youth Livestock Show and Sale Is
The Johnston County Youth Livestock Show and Sale is a two-day show where local youth exhibit market animals they have raised, are judged on the animal and on showmanship, and then sell through an auction. The 2027 show is set for March 29-30, 2027 at the Johnston County Livestock Arena, 520 County Home Road, Smithfield. It is a project for 4-H members and counts as a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) for FFA members.
Who Can Enter and Rules
- Age: youth ages 5 and older (age as of January 1 of the show year) through high school.
- Residency: participants must be enrolled in Johnston County schools or have a primary residence in Johnston County.
- 4-H enrollment: every participant must enroll in 4-H Online after January 1, whether or not they have been a member before.
- Species: swine, goat, lamb and cattle market animals, each with record book materials. Heifers do not participate in the sale.
- Tagging: market animals must be verified in the exhibitor's care and tagged with an official show tag months before the show. Animals already wearing a Got to be NC tag are exempt from the official tag.
How the Sale Works
The sale has two parts. Part 1 is an auction of market animals for exhibitors who want to sell their animal. Part 2 is a "mock" or support auction that every market animal exhibitor joins, whether or not the animal is sold.
Buyer Forms and pledges
- Exhibitors invite relatives and businesses to pledge support. Each pledge goes on a Buyer Form, one entry per pledger.
- Pledges of $100 or more are billed by Johnston County Youth Livestock. Give each buyer's name and physical address, or an email address if the buyer wants an emailed invoice.
- Pledges under $100 are collected by the exhibitor and turned in with the Buyer Form.
- Turn in the Buyer Form, along with all money, at check-in on the first day of the show and sale. The form can be downloaded from johnston.ces.ncsu.edu (Buyer_Form.docx).
Sale night and payment
On sale night the auctioneer's bid starts at the Buyer Form total unless someone bids higher, and people at ringside may add amounts while the exhibitor is in the ring. The sponsor price is the total of all bids and add-ons.
Before any money is paid, two things must be done: the exhibitor completes a record book after the show and sends thank-you notes to buyers. Once those and the buyer payments are complete, the program sends one check for the sponsor price plus any packer price, minus check-off funds and tag fees.
Judging, Awards and Scholarships
Nationally recognized judges evaluate the animals and the showmanship. Senior participants can apply for scholarships, and the program has awarded $49,000 in scholarships over the last ten years.
Key Dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| After January 1, 2027 | Enroll in 4-H Online |
| Months before the show | Animal verified and tagged with an official show tag |
| March 29-30, 2027 | Show and sale; Buyer Form and money due at check-in on day one |
| After the show | Record book and thank-you notes, then the proceeds check |
Where
Johnston County Livestock Arena, 520 County Home Road, Smithfield, NC.
Questions
Can I show a heifer?
Heifers do not participate in the sale.
Do I have to sell my animal?
No. Selling is optional in Part 1, but all market animal exhibitors join the support auction in Part 2.
When do I get my money?
After the record book, thank-you notes and buyer payments are complete.
Who do I call?
Shannon Hopkins or Dan Wells at 919-989-5380.
Official Links
- Johnston County Youth Livestock Show and Sale: sale information
- Johnston County Youth Livestock Show and Sale home page
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- 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 - Johnston County 4-H Rabbit Show
Held each year; the most recent Johnston County 4-H Rabbit Show was August 1, 2026, starting at 9 a.m., with show fees payable to Johnston County 4-H and a showmanship clinic held ahead of it.
Smithfield, NC | Organizer: Johnston County 4-H Official event details - 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 - 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
All North Carolina events by date
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.