What the Tennessee State 4-H Beef Expo Is
The TJLE Beef Expo is the state championship for young beef cattle exhibitors. Youth show market steers, registered heifers and commercial heifers, and also compete in showmanship and a skillathon. UT Extension runs the expo, which is sanctioned for Tennessee's Top Tier (TTT) show point program. The 2026 expo was held July 9 to 11 at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon. The Wilson County Extension livestock page lists the next State Beef Expo for July 8 to 10, 2027, at the James E. Ward Ag Center in Lebanon.
Who Can Enter
- 4-H members in 4th grade or later, or FFA members enrolled in agriculture education courses on January 1 of the show year.
- Exhibitors may not be past the end of the calendar year of high school graduation or of their 20th birthday, whichever comes first.
- An Extension agent or FFA advisor must supervise, and exhibitors must hold Tennessee Youth Quality Assurance (TYQA) certification.
- Entry forms need signatures from the exhibitor, a parent or guardian and the agent or advisor.
Divisions
| Division | Key rules |
|---|---|
| Market steers | Under 900 lbs are Prospect classes, 900 lbs and over are Market classes. Breed divisions include Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousin, Maine, Red Angus, Shorthorn, Simmental and Crossbred. A breed show needs at least five steers or a $250 sponsorship. Steers must be polled or dehorned and castrated. |
| Registered heifers | Nine age classes from Junior Heifer Calf to Early Senior Yearling. A breed show needs at least eight heifers or a $250 sponsorship. A Bred By Exhibitor division is available. |
| Commercial heifers | Weaned, polled or dehorned, with no erupted second permanent incisors. A Farm Bred division is available. |
| Dairy feeder steers | 100 percent dairy breed, 300 to 900 lbs, shown by breed and not in championship classes |
County Groups of Five are available for steers, registered heifers and commercial heifers, with five animals from at least three exhibitors.
How It Works: The Timeline
- January 15 to February 7: steers must be tagged with an 840-RFID tag and tattoo at a regional tagging day. The 2026 days were in Blountville, Paris, Franklin, Knoxville and Erin. Steers must be owned by the exhibitor by February 7.
- May 1: entries are due through the local Extension office. Registered and commercial heifers and prospect steers must carry a witnessed 840-RFID tag and tattoo and be owned by May 1. Registered heifers must be registered in the exhibitor's name, and heifer leases must be in place.
- July 9 to 11: check-in with a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection dated within 90 days, then showmanship, the skillathon, classes, breed shows and the Grand Drive.
Steers registered in the exhibitor's name, with papers brought to the tagging day, can compete in breed divisions. Otherwise they show as Crossbred.
Fees, Awards and What You Get
The entry fee is $10 per head, with no refunds for animals not shown. Each exhibitor may enter up to four commercial heifers and three steers, unlimited registered heifers (two per age division) and up to two leased commercial and two leased registered heifers. Blue ribbon animals score 100 points for first place, dropping 2 per place through tenth, with a floor of 80.
Showmanship is open to every exhibitor with an entered animal and is judged in five grade divisions: Explorer (4th grade), Junior Level I (5th-6th), Junior Level II (7th-8th), Senior Level I (9th-10th) and Senior Level II (11th-12th). The skillathon is a 100-point individual test of feed, breed and meat identification, health and production practices and record keeping. Premier Exhibitor goes to the youth with the highest combined points from the animal show, showmanship and the skillathon in each division and species.
The Tennessee Cattlemen's Association buys steers from the Grand Drive to donate to a food bank, with the number depending on sponsorship. Premiums depend on drug testing and carcass inspection and are paid after all test results are in. Grievances need a $100 cash deposit, filed before the final drive.
Where
Wilson County Fairgrounds, Lebanon, Tennessee (James E. Ward Ag Center).
Questions
Can I show a leased animal?
Yes, but only registered heifers and commercial heifers can be leased. Lease forms must go in with the entry by the deadline.
Can I qualify through a regional show?
No regional qualifying requirement is listed beyond the steer tagging days.
Who do I call?
Your county Extension office. The Wilson County Extension office, which posts the beef entry forms, is 615-444-9584.
Official Links
- 2026 Beef Expo handbook
- Wilson County 4-H livestock page: entry forms, deadlines and 2027 dates
Tennessee UT and TSU Extension: The Essentials
Tennessee Extension has an office in each of the state's 95 counties, grouped into Eastern, Central and Western regions, per the County Connections guide.
What it offers
Programs cover agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, 4-H youth development and community economic development. Services include Master Gardener and pesticide safety education.
4-H and livestock
UT Extension runs the state junior livestock shows, and entries go through the county office, per the youth livestock page. Exhibitors need TYQA certification.
TSU Extension
Tennessee State University runs the Tennessee New Farmer Academy, a seven-month certificate program, per its Extension page.
Next steps
Call your county Extension office before you buy an animal, plant a crop or start a project.
Structure
Each county office is led by a County Extension Director who reports to a regional director. Regional offices are in Knoxville, Nashville and Jackson.
Youth programs
Tennessee 4-H builds skills through clubs, camps and afterschool programs under the motto "Learn by Doing."
Dates and rules change each year, so confirm details with your county Extension office or advisor.
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Boys From the South Sale
Lebanon hosts the Boys From the South Sale on November 28, 2026, one of the sales on the Tennessee Cattlemen's calendar.
Lebanon, TN Official event details - Wilson County 4-H Beef Show
County 4-H beef show for Wilson County youth, held June 8 in the 2026 show season and a step toward the Central Region beef show.
Lebanon, TN | Organizer: UT Extension Wilson County 4-H Official event details - Wilson County 4-H Sheep and Goat Show
County sheep and goat show on July 13, 2026, where Wilson County 4-H members show market animals before regional and state competition.
Lebanon, TN | Organizer: UT Extension Wilson County 4-H Official event details - Central Region 4-H Beef Show
Regional qualifying beef show for Middle Tennessee 4-H members, held July 8 and 9, 2026, in Lebanon just ahead of the state beef expo.
Lebanon, TN | Organizer: UT Extension 4-H Official event details - Tennessee Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Summer Conference
Young Farmers and Ranchers from Tennessee Farm Bureau gather at the Farm Bureau Expo Center in Lebanon for the summer conference. The most recent dates were July 17-18, 2026.
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.