It took countless volunteers to make the Youth Show a fun and meaningful experience for the young people in Blanco County. Students, parents and other volunteers showed up for two workdays prior to the show to begin barn preparations.

Awards were ordered including duffel bags, blankets, chairs, jacket certificates, and buckles for the grand champion exhibitors, and buyer appreciation gifts for the buyers. Generous local businesses and individuals sponsored the 77 awards. Buyers’ mugs were donated by Cattleman’s National Bank and Harvest House Farms. Johnson City Bank donated the champion buyer’s caps. Ribbons and prize money were sorted for the placing turkeys, broilers, rabbits, goats, sheep, swine, cattle and shop projects.

During the show, Thursday and Friday, Jim Meadows did an excellent job announcing, and Katie Baker volunteered to assist the office, the superintendents, and manage the awards, ribbons and prize money, while students volunteered in the show ring to distribute the awards to the deserving exhibitors. Kids under the age of 9 had fun participating in the Little Britches Goat Show on Friday, judged by the showmanship judge Jerry Hoskins, and they each received a ribbon and a gold dollar.

This year’s judges and classifiers did an excellent job, along with the superintendents who supervised each activity. Office volunteers, along with Youth Council secretary Keitha Johnson, worked non-stop on computer entry in preparation for Saturday’s sale. Sandwiches for judges, workers and volunteers were provided by Keitha Johnson. Robert Peterson donated his time to copy hundreds of Sale Programs.

Exhibitors completed the show and began work cleaning up and readying the barn for Saturday’s sale. Jeana Byler and many other volunteers stayed late Friday night, lending their muscle and decorating talents to create Saturday’s spectacular sale ring. Pam Moore and Blanco Floral donated the use of the sale ring and decorations.

Entries for the salsa contest arrived Saturday morning and judging began at 11:30. The 2012 Best Blanco County Salsa Maker was announced at the end of the sale and the winner, Toby Lopez, was presented with his award. His winning jar was auctioned as the final sale unit and raised $3500 for the Blanco County Youth Council Scholarship!

The hospitality room for Saturday’s sale was organized by Suree Birck. Donations for the Hospitality Room were received from Hill Country Liquor in Blanco, Ketel One, HEB in Dripping Springs, and Ben E. Keith.

The Blanco County Battered Men’s Shelter sponsored the complimentary buyers’ lunch and S&T Ranch Services sponsored the buyers’ evening meal. Paul and Tammie Marrs, Melvin and Margie Sultemeier, Frank and Brenda Haynes, Anson Haynes, and Manny Sasko, as always, did a tremendous job preparing the meals.

Pam Meier, Pam Nabers, and Sandi Thompson organized the buyer registration table.

Volunteer auctioneers Charles Jones, Jr. and Tim Jeanes, along with their assistants, Randy Sultemeier, Doug Smith and Kip Thompson, kept the seven-hour sale fun and entertaining. The sale generated $283,900 and buyers added $79,834 for a total of $363,734 for the county’s youth, including the add-ons made by the Blanco County Wild Game Dinner (Sale Committee). This year’s sale was a record-breaking year, the community was well represented, and their support is, as always, greatly appreciated. If you were unable to make it to the sale and would still like to contribute to the Scholarship Fund or to general show costs, you may call Keitha Johnson at 830-833-4138 or send an e-mail to BCYC78@gmail.com.

The top 5 Business / Group Buyers were: Tech Con Trenching, South Texas Friends, Hye (PMI) Metropolitan Buyers Group, Pico Springs Ranch, Moore’s Feed & More. The top 5 Individual Buyers were David O’Bannon, Mr. and Mrs. Gray, Will and Peggy Wallace, Mitchell Liesmann, Manny and Tina Sasko.

From start to finish, the Blanco County Youth Show is such a successful event due to many, many volunteers and generous contributors.

The Blanco County Youth Council invites all members and other interested persons to attend the Annual Meeting, scheduled for 7pm on March 28, 2012, at the Blanco County Show Barn in Johnson City. This is the annual meeting where items may be brought before the board of directors for consideration of a rule or policy change. Other suggestions for improvement of the Youth Show will also be discussed. In addition, director positions whose terms are expiring will be up for election. Nominations to fill these positions will be made from the Nominating Committee and will also be accepted from the floor. Directors who are elected must be current paid members of the Youth Council. Also, in order to vote at the annual meeting you must be a current paid member. “Dues for membership in the council shall be $5.00 per person per year ($30 per person, $50 per couple, for lifetime membership). This membership fee is due seven days prior to the annual meeting (3/21/2012).” Please contact Keitha Johnson at 833-4138 or e-mail to BCYC78@gmail.com for more information.