What the South Carolina Junior Beef Round-Up Is
The South Carolina Junior Beef Round-Up is Clemson Extension's regional beef cattle show for youth. It is open to eligible youth who want to showcase a breeding or market beef project, and it is built as an educational event first: exhibitors learn to handle, show and talk about cattle, compete for scholarships and meet other young cattle people. Clemson's beef project specialist has described the mission of the 4-H livestock program as helping young people build life skills through animal agriculture experiences. The 4-H beef project itself is for youth ages 5 to 18.
The Round-Up is held at the T. Ed Garrison Arena in Pendleton. The 2027 dates are July 30 to August 1, 2027, and the online entry deadline is July 19, 2027. The show has traditionally been held on the first weekend of August.
Contests and Ways to Compete
The weekend combines cattle shows with skill contests and a scholarship competition. Past Round-Ups have included:
- Showmanship: divisions for Novice, Junior, Intermediate and Senior exhibitors, with a grand and reserve champion in each.
- Sales talk: Junior, Intermediate and Senior divisions. Exhibitors are judged on knowledge of the animal, presentation, delivery and overall effectiveness.
- Cattlemen's Educational Contest: Junior, Intermediate, Senior and Ma and Pa divisions. A Junior Cattlemen's Skill-A-Thon has also been part of the program.
- Breed shows: open shows by breed, including Angus, Hereford, Simmental (with fullblood and high-percentage classes), Charolais, Shorthorn, Red Angus, Gelbvieh, commercial and crossbred, and market and feeder steers.
- Other contests: an essay contest, a fitting contest, a novice poster contest and cash awards.
- Silent auction: a fundraiser held during the weekend, along with a celebration recognizing the scholarship recipients and donors.
Specific contests and divisions can change from year to year, so confirm the current list with the livestock office when you enter.
Scholarships and Awards
Scholarships are a centerpiece of the Round-Up. At one recent edition, $8,250 in scholarships went to nine youth exhibitors. The awards named in past years include the $2,000 Derk Simpson Memorial Scholarship, the $1,000 Greenwood County Farm Bureau, Junior Beef Leadership and Olson Cattle Research scholarships, the $750 T. Ed Garrison Scholarship and $500 awards from the South Carolina Association of Agricultural Agents, Weems Creek and the Jason Dobbins Memorial fund. Another year, five $500 college scholarships and two $1,000 scholarships were presented. A supreme champion female is also named from the breed show winners.
Scale and Who Shows Up
The Round-Up is a multi-state show. One recent edition brought more than 95 youth from five southeastern states and over 150 head of beef cattle. The 32nd annual Round-Up drew hundreds of exhibitors and family members from South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. Out-of-state judges have been brought in to place the classes.
How to Enter: Key Dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| July 19, 2027 | Online entry deadline for the Round-Up |
| July 30 - August 1, 2027 | South Carolina Junior Beef Round-Up, T. Ed Garrison Arena, Pendleton |
Show dates and deadline reminders are posted on the South Carolina 4-H Livestock Program Facebook page.
Where
T. Ed Garrison Arena, Pendleton, South Carolina, the Clemson Extension livestock arena.
Questions
Can younger exhibitors compete?
Yes. Showmanship has a Novice division, and the 4-H beef project starts at age 5.
Can exhibitors from outside South Carolina enter?
Past Round-Ups have included youth from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida and other southeastern states.
Is there more than a cattle show?
Yes. Sales talk, the educational contest, essays and the scholarship competition reward knowledge and communication as well as showing.
Who do I call?
The Clemson 4-H Agriculture and Animals office: 706-713-6355.
Official Links
- Clemson 4-H Beef Project: Junior Beef Round-Up overview
- Clemson 4-H statewide events calendar 2026-2027: entry deadline and dates
- Junior Beef Round-Up breeds skills, confidence in 4-H youth: 32nd annual Round-Up report
- Clemson livestock blog: divisions, breeds and scholarships from a recent Round-Up
- South Carolina 4-H Livestock and Equine Programs on Facebook
South Carolina County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows: The Essentials
South Carolina's youth livestock season runs through county fairs and 4-H projects to the State Fair in Columbia each October.
State Fair
The 2026 State Fair ran October 15 to 25, with swine October 17 to 19, junior market goats October 21 and beef October 22 to 24, per the Clemson 4-H calendar.
Who can show
Junior swine and goat exhibitors must be 4-H or FFA members, with showmanship divisions by age as of January 1, per the swine guide. Entries ran July 1 to September 1.
Hogs and health
Market hogs must be barrows or gilts with official identification and a veterinary inspection certificate, valid for 30 days.
County shows
The Orangeburg County Fair held 4-H livestock shows through October 11, 2026, per WRDW.
Next steps
Ask your Extension agent for local show dates, and watch the October entry window.
Read the full guide: South Carolina County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- FFA Region 1 Tool ID and Floriculture Events
Region 1 FFA contests in agricultural tool identification, leadership development events and floriculture, scheduled for February 9, 2027, at Anderson Institute of Technology.
Anderson, SC | Organizer: SC FFA Official event details - Mr. FFA Scholarship Event
Scholarship program honoring a male FFA member, scheduled for February 26, 2027, at Pendleton High School.
Pendleton, SC | Organizer: SC FFA Official event details - SC 4-H/FFA State Dairy Evaluation Contest
Youth judge dairy cattle at the state 4-H/FFA Dairy Evaluation, held March 25, 2027 at Garrison Arena in Pendleton as the opening day of the Spring Dairy Show weekend.
Pendleton, SC | Organizer: Clemson Extension 4-H and SC FFA Official event details - SC 4-H Spring Dairy Show
Youth dairy cattle show with a Let's Talk Dairy public speaking contest, March 25-27, 2027 at Garrison Arena in Pendleton.
- SC 4-H/FFA State Livestock Evaluation Contest
Teams of 4-H and FFA members place classes of beef, swine and sheep and give oral reasons at the state Livestock Evaluation on April 2, 2027 at Garrison Arena in Pendleton.
Pendleton, SC | Organizer: Clemson Extension 4-H and SC FFA Official event details
All South Carolina events by date
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.