What the Junior Market Steer and Heifer Show Is
This is the biggest junior beef ring at the State Fair of West Virginia, three shows in one: Division 560 Market Steers, Division 561 Market Heifers and Division 562 Performance Steers, all for 4-H and FFA members. Animals are judged by weight class, and the top market animals are crowned Overall Grand Champion Market Beef. The most recent show was Sunday, August 16, 2026 in the Large Livestock Arena.
Who Can Enter
- Exhibitors must be current members of a West Virginia 4-H club or FFA chapter, enrolled by March 1 of the show year, with a current project that meets State Fair requirements. 4-H members are youth born between October 1, 2004 and June 30, 2017. FFA members stay eligible until November 30 following the fourth National FFA Convention after high school graduation.
- Market show exhibitors must be 9 years old on or before the show date.
Animal Rules
- Ownership deadline: March 1, 2026, the earliest of any junior species. Animals need an official RFID tag and a visual tag.
- Each exhibitor may bring three animals, one of which must be of the opposite sex.
- Steers and heifers must weigh at least 1,000 pounds, carry a complete set of baby teeth with no permanent teeth (checked at weigh-in), have official identification, and be dehorned and healed.
- Market heifers must be open. All are pregnancy checked at weigh-in, and pregnant heifers cannot show. A heifer in the market show may not be shown in the junior beef heifer classes.
- Only exhibitors may be in the make-up area, and aerosol products may not be used on animals in the arenas. No portable scales are allowed on the fairgrounds.
How It Is Judged
Animals are divided into uniform weight divisions after weigh-in, with performance and market steers shown in separate divisions. Light, medium and heavy weight steers and heifers each get a champion and reserve. Then come Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer, Performance Steer and Market Heifer, followed by Overall Grand Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, and 3rd, 4th and 5th overall Market Beef. Management may change class breaks, including removing weight divisions, based on entries. Check-in and weigh-in times are on the fair's livestock schedule.
Entering and Fees
- Junior entries are online only; paper entries are not accepted. 2026 entries opened May 27 and closed at midnight on July 8. Late entries were accepted until midnight on July 15 with a $50 late fee per junior exhibitor, and none after that.
- Fees: $15 entry fee for every exhibitor in the Junior Show, plus a one-time $10 processing fee. Exhibitors collect an exhibitor packet when they arrive at the fair.
- Each junior livestock exhibitor receives a five-day complimentary admission ticket.
Showmanship, Premier Exhibitor and the Sale
Every junior must show in the showmanship contest for each species they exhibit. Skipping showmanship means no other classes and no part in the Youth Livestock Sale. Showmanship, a one-time multi-species livestock skillathon and the animal classes also decide the Junior and Senior Premier Exhibitor awards.
The Sale and Terminal Rules
The junior market show is terminal for champions: Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer, Market Heifer and Performance Steer must be harvested. Youth may elect to consign them to the Greenbrier/Monroe Youth Livestock Association sale, held Monday, August 17, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. in the Tractor Supply Small Stock Arena. The association takes responsibility for the animal after the sale and delivers it to a federally inspected processing facility, and it must be harvested in Greenbrier County within seven days. Consignment forms are due within 30 minutes after the show. Champions are tested for drugs, and a positive result means disqualification and forfeited ribbons, premiums and sale price. Contacts: 304-645-1090 (Entry Department) or 304-647-7408 (Greenbrier County Extension Office).
Where and When
Large Livestock Arena, State Fair of West Virginia fairgrounds, 947 Maplewood Ave, Lewisburg, WV 24901, 3 miles south of Interstate 64 exit 169. Sunday, August 16, 2026 gate admission was $15. Livestock trailers use Gate 5 (the Livestock Gate on 219 North); the parking permit costs $10 a day, with no overnight parking.
The fair's next edition is set for August 12-21, 2027.
Official Links
- Livestock Exhibitor's Guide and Premium Book 2026: classes, rules, fees and premiums
- Livestock Competitions: entry status and judges list
- Tickets: gate prices and fair week specials
- Fair FAQs and directions: location and policies
- Scholarship and Awards: State Fair scholarships for junior show participants
West Virginia County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows: The Essentials
West Virginia county fairs run from June into September, with samples in 2026 from the Mineral County Fair on June 16-20 to the Tyler County Fair July 27 to August 1, per their listings. Dates change yearly.
State Fair
The State Fair of West Virginia ran August 13 to 22, 2026, in Lewisburg. Junior shows ran from market goats on August 13-14 to market hogs and steers on August 16, per the livestock exhibitors guide.
Who can show
State Fair juniors must be enrolled in a West Virginia 4-H club or FFA chapter by March 1 and be at least 9 on the show date. Entries are online only.
Ownership and tags
Market steers and heifers had a March 1 ownership deadline in 2026, and most other market animals June 10. All market animals need an official RFID tag and a visual tag.
Health
Out-of-state animals need a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, per the state agriculture department. Sheep and goats need scrapie ID.
Next steps
Ask your county Extension office or FFA advisor for your fair book, tagging dates and sale rules. Weights and entry rules differ by fair.
Premiums, entry fees and showmanship rules vary, so read the current premium book before you pay.
Read the full guide: West Virginia County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Greenbrier Valley GLCI Pasture Management Workshop
Pasture management workshop and field day at Master's Farm in Ronceverte with food and free raffles for attendees. Held each year; the most recent workshop ran June 20, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
635 Horshoe Bend Rd, Ronceverte, WV 24970 | Organizer: Greenbrier Valley GLCI Official event details - State Fair of West Virginia
Held each year at the fairgrounds near Lewisburg; the most recent dates were August 13-22, 2026, for the 101st annual fair. Livestock competitions, 4-H and FFA exhibits and concerts fill the ten days.
- State Fair of West Virginia Junior Market Goat Show
Youth market goat show (Division 575) in the Small Stock Arena; held each year, and the most recent show ran Thursday and Friday, August 13-14, 2026.
- State Fair of West Virginia Open Prospect Steer and Heifer Show
Open class prospect steer and heifer show opening the beef cattle week at the State Fair of West Virginia; most recent show was Sunday, August 16, 2026, in the Large Livestock Arena.
- State Fair of West Virginia Junior Market Hog Show
Youth market hog show (Division 563) in the Small Stock Arena on the same Sunday as the market steer class; the most recent date was August 16, 2026.
All West Virginia events by date
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.