Start With the Show's Own Rules
No single checklist fits every Texas show. County fairs, major shows and the State Fair each publish their own rulebook, and the details below come from published Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas FFA and fair documents. Treat them as examples of what to look for, then confirm everything with your county Extension agent, your agricultural science teacher and the current rulebook for your show. The Texas Association of Fairs & Events lists member fairs if you need to find a show's contact details.
Documents to Pack
Validation proof and paperwork
Validation registers an animal under an exhibitor for major shows and local fairs. The Harris County 4-H validation page says that, depending on the animal, it may include an ear tag, nose print, tattoo and hair sample, and lists the Validation Form, registration papers and a signed Ethics Policy (one per exhibitor) as required forms. The Texas 4-H/FFA swine guidelines add that validation is proof of ownership only and does not enter an exhibitor in a show, so you still need your own entry paperwork.
Keep copies of the validation form, your entry confirmation and any registration papers together in one folder. Breeding heifers are a good example: the Central Texas Youth Fair rulebook says registration papers in the exhibitor's name are needed at check-in, and the swine guidelines say registered gilts must have registration papers uploaded to the validation system.
Quality Counts
Quality Counts is a quality assurance and character education program for young livestock exhibitors, described at sheepandgoatvalidation.tamu.edu. Each student must register individually, complete the online course and exam on AgriLife Learn, and enter registration information that exactly matches the course information. A Bexar County FAQ notes there is no printable certificate, so keep the confirmation email, which cannot be resent. County and local shows may also require it, so check each show's rules.
Health papers
Requirements differ by show. The Central Texas Youth Fair says a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection is not required for cattle, sheep, swine, goats or rabbits, that animals must be drug-residue free at weigh-in and throughout the fair, that owners must provide health certificates from licensed veterinarians when officials request them, and that out-of-state animals are not permitted. Do not carry that rule to another show. Ask each fair what it requires.
Tags and Identification
- Check every tag the night before. Swine guidelines say pigs entering the holding pen without a tag are not validated and are ineligible to show, and that tags go in the center of the left ear unless the ear is crinkled.
- Do not alter a tag in size, shape, form or color.
- If a tag is lost or damaged, tell your agent or teacher right away. Under the 2023-24 swine guidelines, the loss must be reported to the AST or CEA, who notifies the chair within 10 days, and replacement tags could also be bought at the show for $25. Replaced tags can trigger a DNA assay.
- For lambs and goats, the sheep and goat program uses an official Texas Lamb & Goat Validation tag; the program page lists forms for ear tag, tattoo, ownership and address changes.
- Showmanship contestants may need a number: Jack County requires numbered cards at all times on the grounds.
Check-In and Weigh-In Timing
Read the schedule twice. At the Central Texas Youth Fair, barns opened at 6:00 am on check-in day and the official livestock weigh-in ran from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. The Jack County Youth Fair required all livestock in place by 6 p.m., with hogs weighing in from 4 to 6 p.m. and other species from 6 to 7 p.m. Also confirm minimum weights; Central Texas listed steers at least 1,000 lbs, hogs 200 to 300 lbs, goats at least 55 lbs and lambs at least 60 lbs.
Feed, Water and Grooming Gear
The rulebooks reviewed here do not publish a required list of feed or grooming supplies, so follow your advisor's guidance and the show's rules. What the rules do say is that animals must be drug-residue free at weigh-in and throughout the Central Texas Youth Fair, and that exhibitors are bound by the ethics policy. Check any product against the show's rules before using it.
Dress
Dress codes vary. The Central Texas rulebook says exhibitors must wear long pants or skirts below the knee, with no ripped or holey jeans. Shirts must have collars and capped sleeves and stay tucked in with arms raised, and tank tops, halter-tops, midriff shirts and sleeveless shirts are not allowed. Jack County's rules contain no dress code. Check your show's rulebook.
Sale-Day Preparation and Etiquette
- Know the sale rules in advance. At Central Texas, exhibitors chose their sale project within 30 minutes after the last Friday show or the highest-placing project was selected, each exhibitor could sell only one item, and exhibitors had to be in place by 12:30 pm on sale day.
- Be present. Jack County required exhibitors to be present for the sale unless pre-approved, and to tell the division superintendent by Friday at noon whether livestock would sell on the floor or go home.
- Thank all of your bidders, not only the buyer, and invite the buyer to come back to future auctions, according to Farms.com.
- Follow the ethics policy. The swine ethics policy says the exhibitor and immediate family must provide primary daily care, and violations can lead to disqualification.
Thank-You Notes to Buyers
Notes are often a requirement, not just good manners. The State Fair of Texas, in its buyer thank-you instructions, requires the youth exhibitor to write each note personally, with at least 2-3 sentences of gratitude on a greeting card, postcard or specialty card, not notebook or copy paper. It requires a separate note for each buyer and add-on contributor, and notes go to the ag teacher or county Extension agent rather than being mailed to buyers. Premium checks are not released until the entire club or chapter has submitted all notes.
For a note that actually works, Farms.com suggests naming the buyer, saying clearly that you are thanking them for buying your animal, explaining why you are grateful, saying how you will use the sale money, sharing something personal about your project, repeating your thanks and signing off. It also recommends writing by hand, neatly, in blue or black ink.
Night-Before Checklist
- Folder: validation form, registration papers, entry confirmation, Quality Counts confirmation, ethics form.
- Animal: tag present and legible, weight checked against minimums.
- Clothing: show clothes that meet the dress code in your rulebook.
- Schedule: weigh-in time, show time and sale rules written down.
- Thank-you cards and a pen, ready for sale day.
Texas Listings Covered by This Guide
- Mason County Swine Validation
Swine validation Nov 12, 2026 for exhibitors with fewer than seven head, 4-5 p.m. at the Mason County Show Barn; larger groups validate Nov 10 by appointment at their own barns. Assumed annual.
- Zavala County Swine Validation
Swine validation for county and state shows on Nov 14, 2026, 8-10 AM, at the ZCJLSA Show Barn. City inferred from the county show grounds; next year not posted.
- Zavala County Broiler Validation
County broiler validation at 5 pm on Nov 20, 2026 at the Zavala County AgriLife Extension office, 123 E. Uvalde St., Crystal City.
- Glasscock County Rabbit Validation
4-H rabbit validation on Oct 27, 2026 at 5:30 PM at the county Livestock Facility in Garden City, listed on the Glasscock County Extension page. Year taken from the 2026-2027 page; assumed annual.
- Mason County Heifer Validation
Heifer validation for 2027 Mason County stock show exhibitors on Oct 22, 2026, 4-6 p.m. at the Worrell Barn on US Highway 87 North. Latest posted date; assumed annual.
- Mason County Sheep and Goat Validation
Validation of 4-H and FFA sheep and goat projects for the 2027 Mason County stock show, Oct 21, 2026, 4-6 p.m. at the Mason County Show Barn. Dates are the latest posted; assumed annual.
- Palo Pinto County Lamb, Goat and Heifer Validation
Validation for 2027 lambs, goats and heifers Oct 19, 2026, 4-7 PM; exhibitors and a parent must attend for state paperwork. Late tags cost $30 until Oct 7. Assumed annual.
- Medina County Rabbit Validation at Devine High School
Rabbit validation Dec 20, 2025 at Devine High School for Medina County youth rabbit projects. Next date not posted, assumed annual.
- Medina County Swine Validation at Hondo FFA Project Center
Swine validation held Nov 9, 2025 at the Hondo FFA Project Center for county junior exhibitors heading to the Medina County Junior Livestock Show. Assumed annual.
- Medina County Swine Validation at Natalia FFA Project Barn
Swine validation for Medina County 4-H and FFA exhibitors on Nov 8, 2025 at the Natalia FFA Project Barn; other validations ran in Devine, Hondo and the MV FFA Barn. Assumed annual.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.