LIVESTOCK SHOW

Established as the Houston Fat Stock Show in 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ has grown to more than 30,000 entries. The Houston Livestock Show is organized by three categories of competitions: Junior Show, Open Show and Youth Show.

The Show is not only the largest livestock show, but also sets world records at the junior market show auctions.

Junior Show

Each year, the Houston Livestock Show draws thousands of Texas 4-H and FFA exhibitors to compete at the world's largest livestock show. These students bring various species of livestock — from rabbits and poultry to goats and steers — each hoping to take home the coveted title of Houston champion. Each exhibitor works several months to prepare for competition among the finest junior livestock the state of Texas has to offer.

Junior Show Entry Portal

*Access for Teachers and Agents Only

Competitions

  • Breeding Beef Heifers
  • Breeding Gilts
  • Breeding Sheep
  • Dairy Cattle
  • Market Barrows
  • Market Broilers
  • Market Goats
  • Market Lambs
  • Market Steers
  • Market Turkeys

Calf Scramble

  • Visit the Calf Scramble Page here

Team Judging Contests

Wildlife Video & Poster Board Contests

  • Submissions are due January 10
  • Poster Boards must be mailed or dropped off to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo offices
  • View examples of Wildlife Videos submitted in the past here. For Wildlife Poster Board and Video entries, please use the Junior Show Entry Worksheet linked above.

Shooting Sports

  • For Shooting Sports events, please see the Shooting Sports tab above

Rabbits and Cavies

  • The Rabbit and Cavy shows are listed in our Open & Youth Show. For more information please see the Open & Youth Show tab.

Ag Mechanics

Trailer Build-off Contest

The 2026 Trailer Build-Off Contest was held on Thursday, October 23, 2025.

2026 Trailer Build-Off Results

2026 Trailer Build-Off Contest Info Sheet

2026 Trailer Build-Off Rules

If you would like to be added to the Trailer Build-Off email list, please click here to subscribe for the latest contest information.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Judging Contests

To review contest schedule, locations, and contest rules, please click the Exhibitor Handbook button in the above section.

Individual Judging Contests – Public Speaking & Ag Science Fair

  • Enter via JudgingCard.com
  • Deadline for entries is December 1
  • Starting December 15 at 8 a.m, all required documents must be uploaded to JudgingCard.com for registered contestants. The submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. on January 10

Team Judging Contests

Intercollegiate Judging Contests

  • Click here to enter our Intercollegiate Judging Contests.
  • Deadline for entries is February 1
  • For detailed instructions on how to enter online, see our IC Entry Instructions document here
  • Paper entry forms will not be accepted

4-H/FFA Indemnity Form

INSTRUCTIONS: Print and complete the 4-H/FFA Judging Contest Indemnity form for each contestant. If the contestant is competing in multiple contests, check each participating contest at the top of the form. Your club/chapters completed Indemnity forms must be turned in to Registration on contest day. We will not accept Indemnity forms submitted prior to contest day.

Intercollegiate Indemnity Form

INSTRUCTIONS: Print and complete the respective Intercollegiate Judging Contest Indemnity form for each contestant. If the contestant is competing in multiple contests, check each participating contest at the top of the form. Your college’s completed Indemnity forms must be turned in to Registration on contest day. We will not accept Indemnity forms submitted prior to contest day.

Junior Commercial Steer

Online Record Book

Contestants must complete the online record book for this contest. See Record Book Intructions for details on scoring. If you have any questions about how to use the online record book system, please refer to the Record Book Instructions. Credentials will be sent out after the system has been updated for 2026 and entries are completed.

Documents

Open & Youth Show

From across the U.S. and Texas, exhibitors of all ages come to the Houston Livestock Show each spring for a chance at a championship title. Also included in the open show are youth-only competitions, which allow kids the chance to exhibit at the largest livestock show in the world and experience the show ring from an early age.

Open & Youth Show Entry Portal

» Download W-9 Form

Dates: Meat pen rabbit entry opens November 15 | All other departments open December 15

Competitions

  • Beef Cattle
  • Breeding Rabbits*
  • Dairy Cattle
  • Dairy and Boer Goats*
  • Llamas and Alpacas*
  • Meat Pen Rabbits*
  • Rabbits and Cavies
  • Sheep and Goats
  • Sheep Dog Trials
  • Specialty Cattle*

* Includes youth classes

Rabbits and Cavies

  • Youth Meat Pen
    • Enter through Open & Youth Entry Portal
      • Note: Enter each exhibitor under a separate order with the exhibitor listed as the Payee to allow 2 pens per person
    • Entries Due December 15
    • For Schedule, Rules, Validation information, and breeding dates see the 2025 Exhibitor Handbook above
  • Youth Breeding Rabbits and Cavies
    • Enter through Open & Youth Entry Portal
      • Note: Each Exhibitor entry should be completed as a separate order with the exhibitor as the Payee
      • Register for the Costume and Judging Contests online as well while completing your entry
    • Entries Due February 1
    • For Schedule and Rules see the 2025 Exhibitor Handbook above
    • IMPORTANT: Review the schedule as the specific dates for each breed vary
  • Open Breeding Rabbits and Cavies
    • Enter through Open & Youth Entry Portal
    • Entries Due February 1
    • For Schedule and Rules see the 2025 Exhibitor Handbook above

Llama and Alpaca

Shooting Sports

Archery Competition

    2027 dates will be announced.

    Young Guns Shooting Sports Competition

    • 2027 dates will be announced.
    • Deadline for Entries is February 1

    Livestock Care

    The care of livestock is of the utmost importance to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It is important for all Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo exhibitors to be conscientious stewards of the livestock that they raise, care for and exhibit each year at the Rodeo. Treating these animals with care and respect is an important part of exhibitors’ daily practices. Applying good animal welfare practices leads to great productivity, not only in the show ring, but also, in the case of market animals, to high quality, safe products in the food chain.

    The Rodeo has put rules in place to enforce these good practices with its exhibitors. It is the responsibility of all exhibitors to provide humane care of animals.

    The Rodeo will disqualify and remove any exhibitor deemed to be in violation of this basic principle of animal husbandry. In accordance with Section 42.09, as defined in the Texas Health and Safety code, any exhibitor found in violation of these principles is subject to disqualification and a $10,000 fine.

    Residue Avoidance Program

    In cooperation with the Texas Veterinary Medical Association and with the approval of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo developed a residue avoidance program in 1989 for all junior market animals.

    Selected animals are tested extensively, and any animal testing positive will be disqualified. The Show continually aims to assure consumers that their animal purchases from the market auctions are safe, wholesome products, free from any substance residue.

    How Junior Market Auctions Work

    Generous donors are not only supporting the exhibitors’ livestock projects, the donations also go toward funding scholarships and educational programs for the youth of Texas. Based upon placing, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo establishes a guaranteed premium for each exhibitor who qualifies for a junior market auction. Once guaranteed premiums are paid to the exhibitors, the net proceeds from the auction are contributed to the Educational Fund to support the Show’s commitment to the youth of Texas and education.

    See the payout distribution below.

    The following payout distribution shows the guaranteed premium for each exhibitor placing. Each auction is conducted by a dedicated committee of volunteers who pre-sell a majority of the lots to ensure that each exhibitor receives a guaranteed premium, regardless of whether or not a bid is received on every lot.

    Barrows

    PLACE GUARANTEED PREMIUM
    Grand Champion $45,000
    Reserve Grand Champion 30,000
    Breed Champions 12,000
    Reserve Breed Champions 9,000
    Division Champions 7,000
    Reserve Division Champions 5,000
    1st Place 3,750
    2nd Place 3,000
    3rd Place 2,800
    4th Place 2,750
    All remaining placing barrows 2,600

    Broilers

    PLACE GUARANTEED PREMIUM
    Grand Champion $35,000
    Reserve Grand Champion 20,000
    2nd-10th Place 6,500
    11th-15th Place 3,500
    16th-25th Place 3,000
    26th-50th Place 2,800
    51st-75th Place 2,700
    76th-100th Place 2,600

    Goats

    PLACE GUARANTEED PREMIUM
    Grand Champion $45,000
    Reserve Grand Champion 30,000
    Division Champions 12,500
    Reserve Division Champions 8,500
    1st Place 7,000
    2nd Place 6,000
    3rd Place 5,000
    4th Place 4,000
    5th Place 3,500
    6th Place 3,000
    All remaining placing goats 2,600

    Lambs

    PLACE GUARANTEED PREMIUM
    Grand Champion $45,000
    Reserve Grand Champion 30,000
    Breed Champions 12,500
    Reserve Breed Champions 8,500
    1st Place 7,000
    2nd Place 6,000
    3rd Place 5,000
    4th Place 4,000
    5h Place 3,500
    6th Place 3,000
    All remaining placing lambs 2,600

    Steers

    PLACE GUARANTEED PREMIUM
    Grand Champion $85,000
    Reserve Grand Champion 50,000
    Breed Champions 25,000
    Reserve Breed Champions 20,000
    1st Place 15,000
    2nd Place 12,500
    3rd Place 11,000
    4th Place 10,000
    All remaining placing steers 9,500

    Turkeys

    PLACE GUARANTEED PREMIUM
    Grand Champion $35,000
    Reserve Grand Champion 20,000
    2nd-12th Place 5,500
    13th-24th Place 4,000
    25th-36th Place 3,000
    37th-50th Place 2,600

    School Art

    PLACE GUARANTEED PREMIUM
    Grand Champion $40,000
    Reserve Grand Champion 25,000
    Class Champions 8,500
    Reserve Class Champions 7,000
    Class Premiums 5,000
    Reserve Class Premiums
    4,000
    Auction Lot 2,600

    RESULTS

    Search for results by contest, date or keywords. Please allow for at least a day after the contest for results to be posted.

    Photos

    Order your Houston Livestock Show photos through Next Level Images.

    Thanks to United Airlines!

    United Airlines recognizes the hard work of the following junior show champions with airline tickets to travel to a place of their choice.

    • Breed Champions in the Junior Breeding Beef Heifer Show
    • Supreme Champion Gilt
    • Reserve Supreme Champion Gilt
    • Supreme Champion Ewe
    • Reserve Supreme Champion Ewe

    CONTACT US

    Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
    NRG Center
    3 NRG Park
    Houston, Texas 77054

    Email: [email protected]
    Phone: 832.667.1125
    Fax: 832.6671140

    CONNECT

    Join the conversation on the Houston Livestock Exhibitors Facebook page. The Facebook page showcases updates, photos and fun facts.

    Secret Link

    2026 OPEN SHOW

    2026 JUNIOR SHOW