Abilene, Texas (KRBC) – Today starts the livestock show held at the Taylor County Expo Center. The livestock show has been held here for over 60 years. Kids of all ages come out from seven different organizations to show their animals they have been raising themselves.
 
“I have to wash them every week and make sure their feeder is full and their water I have to break the ice since it is so cold,” said Callie Freeman, a ninth grader showing her steers and heifers.
 
Freeman started raising heifers in third grade.
 
“I started showing a heifer, and I just loved like seeing the ribbons and watching the judge and how he analyzes the cattle is really spectacular,” said Freeman.
 
 Her love for showing came from her older sisters.
 
“When they started showing cows I would also go up in the bleachers,” said Freeman.
 
Seth Stephen, a 6th grader is showing poultry for his second year. His younger siblings also help him take care of all 13 chickens but he has already learned from his mistakes from the year before.
 
“We need to make them eat more for the last two weeks and that we need to change the shavings more often,” said Stephens.
 
Stephens got 5th and 10th with his pen of three and 6th and 8th with his single entry broilers.
 
If you ask his mom, Karla Stephens, stock shows offer responsibility and knowledge to all participants can take with them the rest of their lives.
 
“They have to get up, they have to go take care of them, they have to watch their feed, their water. It is really almost the same as having a pet, just more intensive,” said Karla Stephens.
 
If you want to see the rest of the schedule for the week go to this link. It is free to everyone.