What the Utah State Fair Junior Livestock Show Is
The 4-H and FFA Market Livestock Show is the youth livestock competition at the Utah State Fair, held at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City. Young exhibitors bring market hogs, steers, lambs and goats they have raised, have them weighed, compete in market classes and in showmanship, and then have the chance to sell at the Junior Market Livestock Auction. 4-H and FFA exhibitors show together. The 2026 fair ran September 10 to 20.
Species and Show Schedule
| Species | Weigh-in | Market class | Showmanship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hogs | Wed. Sept. 16, 6-8 AM and 6-8 PM | Thu. Sept. 17, 8:00 AM | Fri. Sept. 18, 8:00 AM |
| Steers | Wed. Sept. 16, 6-8 AM and 7-10 PM | Thu. Sept. 17, 11:00 AM | Fri. Sept. 18, 11:00 AM |
| Lambs | Wed. Sept. 16, 8-10 PM; Thu. Sept. 17, 5-7:30 AM | Thu. Sept. 17, 1:00 PM | Fri. Sept. 18, 1:00 PM |
| Goats | Thu. Sept. 17, 5-7:30 AM | Thu. Sept. 17, 4:30 PM | Fri. Sept. 18, 4:30 PM |
The 2026 judges were Kyle Baade (hogs), Macey Scotten (steers), Wayne Morse (lambs) and Landon Eldridge (goats). Hog scales open morning and evening; lamb scales open only on Thursday morning.
Who Can Enter and Rules
- Entry is one animal per exhibitor, and showmanship must be entered by the deadline. To compete in showmanship you must show an animal in the market class.
- Showmanship divisions are Senior (grades 9-12), Intermediate (grades 6-8) and Junior (grades 3-5).
- Animals must carry the yellow USJLA ear tag (orange tags are accepted for sheep and goats). The tag named on the entry must be the only tag in the ear at weigh-in, apart from scrapie tags in ewe lambs and breeding sheep or goats.
- Minimum weights: steers 1,000 lbs, lambs 110 lbs, goats 50 lbs; hogs must weigh 240 to 330 lbs.
- Hogs must be clipped before arrival, with no trimming on the grounds. Sheep wool must be no longer than 1/8 inch on arrival. Goats must be slick shorn, with 3/8 inch of hair or less above the knees and hocks.
- A vet check is done on arrival; health certificates are not required. Exhibitors sign a drug certification, and grand and reserve champions in each species are drug tested after the show.
- Exhibitors must show and sell their own animals.
Key Dates and Deadlines
- Tagging: beef by June 1, 2026; sheep, goats and hogs by July 11, 2026.
- Ownership: steers by June 1; lambs and goats by July 11; hogs at least 60 days before September 15.
- Entries opened August 1 and closed August 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM, with no late entries.
- Exhibitors must tell the livestock office within 30 minutes after the last market show on Thursday if they plan to sell private treaty to the packer or not sell at auction.
- Animals stay in the exhibitor's care until 6 PM on Saturday, September 19, when they are released to the packer.
Fees, Premiums and What You Get
The entry fee is $25 per animal. Each exhibitor receives one Season Pass, four Day Passes and one Parking Pass at no cost, plus one trailer pass and one passenger vehicle pass at check-in; trailers park in a remote, secure lot.
Market class premiums run from $25 for first place down to $10 for tenth. Showmanship premiums run from $20 for first down to $11 for tenth. Judges rank animals numerically and by the Danish system: Blue (all choice), Red (select only) and White (standard and below). Premiums are paid only on animals the judge considers worthy, and checks are mailed after the fair and must be cashed by December 31. Leaving early without a supervisor's approval forfeits prize money.
The Junior Market Livestock Auction
The auction was set for Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 10:00 AM in the Market Building. Buyers can purchase an animal for custom processing, or "boost" the price: a local packer buys the animal at market value and the buyer pays the difference between the bid and market price. Champion and reserve animals in each species are terminal, must be sold and are harvested after a clean drug test; buying them back from the packer is prohibited. White Ribbon animals are not eligible for the auction. Exhibitors are paid only after the buyer's payment is received.
Where
Utah State Fairpark, 155 N 1000 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84116. Check in with the barn supervisor before tying or penning any animal; stalls are assigned by the species committee.
Questions
Can I enter more than one animal?
No. Each exhibitor may enter one animal in the market show.
Is a health certificate required?
No, but every animal gets a vet check on arrival.
When is the tagging deadline?
June 1 for beef and July 11 for sheep, goats and hogs in 2026.
Who do I call?
The Utah State Fair office at 801-538-8400.
Official Links
- Utah State Fair 4-H and FFA Market Livestock Show
- Junior Market Livestock Auction
- Utah State Fair livestock page
- Utah County 4-H livestock tagging
Utah County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows: The Essentials
Utah county fairs run from Washington County's April fair to Iron County in early September, with most in early to mid August, per USU Extension's 2026 fair schedule. Salt Lake County holds 4-H Discovery Days instead of a fair, and a few counties were still to be determined.
Livestock shows
Market animals compete on a regional circuit of junior livestock shows that ends at the Utah State Fair in Salt Lake City. For 2026 the State Fair market show charged $25 per animal, with entries closing August 14, per the fair's page.
Tagging and age
Cattle must be tagged 100 days before a show and sheep, goats and hogs 60 days, and exhibitors must be 8 and in third grade, per Utah County's tagging page.
Next steps
Ask your county Extension office for your fair's premium book, entry deadlines and weigh-in rules.
Weigh-in, drug rules and sale terms vary by show, so read the rule book first.
Read the full guide: Utah County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows
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