Kinney County 4H & FFA Junior Livestock Show!

Yesterday, Friday, and all day today, Saturday.

Back in the holding pens we saw a lot of great young people taking care of their prized livestock.

It kind of reminded me of Weslaco, Texas, 50 years ago, when there were both the Jr. Livestock show and -- if I remember correctly! -- the Jr. Rodeo, too, more or less combined.

Friday around 4 pm, we saw the end of the judging of a mixed bunch of Boer and Spanish Goats.

Today, some of what somebody called "Hampshire Goats!"

Each youngster -- maybe 24 in all -- got a lot of individualized attention from the judges, so she (or he) got to know the whys and wherefores of a good animal.

Back in the livestock pens area, one obliging young gentleman confided to us that -- speaking as a parent! -- "Each year you can't wait for all this to begin, and then you can't wait for it to end!"

While Kinney County, Texas, has -- according ot the 2002 - 2003 Texas Almanac -- a population of around 51% Hispanic and 48% Anglo, it looked to me that the proportion fo Hispanic youngsters participating Friday afternoon in that one event was around 25% to 30%.

In the pen area, there were posted such exhibitors' last names as Resendez, Castillo, plus this morning at least, Gutierrez, as well.

There was a good, steady turnout of around 200 or more folks at any given time, and a steady, cheerful hum, like a your 'ole "busy bee hive."

Some folks stopping in to lend moral support to their own, or someone else's youngster, old folks (like this one) nonstalgic for "'way back when," you name it.

Really, these Junior Livestock Shows are about as fine a yearly function as you could wish for: young folks from Brackettville High wandering around as well as kids form further out (who, nevertheless ae most likely in BISD, too!)

And you want to know something?

I can't seem to recall seeing a single kid or young person -- either yesterday or today -- running around with her or his ear phones plugged in!

That's right!

They all looked alert and focused....

Big Bar B Que Plate Dinner Today at Noon!