Some things never or rarely change, and that's very much the case with the Utah State Junior Livestock Show.
The schedule for this year's show, now just over two-thirds of a century old, looks strikingly like last year's schedule and even the one for 1990's show. Show manager Bob Brock said that similarity is intentional.According to Brock, participants and spectators alike have come to expect certain events from the show, one of the largest junior cattle shows in the country.
"Even when I was a little boy we had these celebrations. It's something the city looks forward to every year."
The sole change for this year's show is the discontinuation of the calf scramble. Brock said liability and insurance costs led officials to cancel the event.
That 50-year-old event featured 20 contestants trying to catch 10 calves, but evidently the potential for injury outweighed the scramble's assets, he said.
Included in the events for the show, which begins Wednesday afternoon at the city fairgrounds, are traditional marketing and showmanship contests, judging, horse events and a parade through town.
The city will celebrate Governor's Day on Friday with a visit by Gov. Norm Bangerter and a parade beginning at 800 North and Main Street.
That parade will include buggies, wagons and horsemen to escort the governor and other city and state officials, as well as the show's managers, to the city park.
Also, the governor and members of the show's committees will be treated to a Western-style luncheon at the city senior citizen center. The city is encouraging residents to show their support by wearing Western clothes during the week, especially on Governor's Day.
Brock calls the cooperation between the show's officials and city dignitaries (including Mayor Marie Huff's participation in the stock show's presidency) encouraging.
As for the show itself, youth from throughout the state come to the fairgrounds to exhibit their Future Farmers of America and 4-H livestock proj-ects, lending it excitement, he said.
"Everyone who goes to any of the events should have a really good time," Brock said. "I've been looking forward to this all year."
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(Schedule)
Schedule for the 68th annual utah State Junior Livestock Show (all events held at the Spanish Fork City Fairgrounds unless noted):
Wednesday, April 29
Noon to 4 p.m. - Receiving and weighing market animals. Animals will be weighed only once.
4 p.m. - Exhibitors meeting (auction ring).
5:30 p.m. - Market beef fitting and showmanship.
6 p.m. - Market hog fitting and showmanship.
7:30 p.m. - Market lambs fitting and showmanship. Thursday, April 30
8 a.m. - Judging market hogs.
9 a.m. - Judging breeding sheep.
Noon - Judging market beef.
3:30 p.m. - Breeding beef fitting and showmanship.
4 p.m. - Judging breeding beef.
6 p.m. - Judging market lambs.Friday, May 1
8 a.m. - Future Farmers of America and 4-H horse judging contest.
9:30 a.m. - FFA and 4-H livestock judging contest.
10:30 a.m. - Junior horse events.
11 a.m. - Parade down Main Street in honor of Gov. Norm Bangerter.
Noon - Spanish Fork luncheon in honor of the governor and all the show's participants, at the Spanish Fork Senior Citizen Center, 167 W. Center.
1 p.m. - Junior dairy judging, livestock judges school
3 p.m. - Ladies leadline (rodeo arena).
7 p.m. - Exhibitors jamboree at Spanish Fork High School, 99 N. 300 West.