Moooving right along
Southeastern Youth Fair steer show contestants participate in tagging and weigh-in session in Ocala.
Travis Teuton, left, and Brian Alberty, right, tag a steer during the steer weigh-in and tagging for the Southeastern Youth Fair at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion in Ocala, Fla. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. The Southeastern Youth Fair runs from Feb. 19-28, 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.
The Southeastern Youth Fair remains one of the oldest and largest such student events in the nation. The 2026 fair, set for Feb. 19-28, will mark the 86th anniversary of the annual program, through which local FFA and 4-H members demonstrate their skills and raise money to further their education.
“Our participation continues to grow,” Executive Director Sara LeFils said with excitement. “This year we have 37 4-H clubs and 23 FFA chapters involved. We are so grateful for the interest and support from our community and can’t wait for another spectacular year.”
On Sept. 27, steer show competitors were up early to get to the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion for a tagging and weigh-in session. There were more than 160 head of cattle that went through the process.
An important element of each annual youth fair revolves around the market animal shows and auctions. The market animals include steers, swine, goats and lambs. The student participants invest a lot of time and money into raising their animals. They learn how to feed, groom and care for them, and keep mandatory detailed records throughout the months leading up to the fair. During the fair, the participants show the animals in hopes of winning ribbons and bragging rights, followed by the auctions, through which the youth earn money.
The purpose of the market projects is educational and financial. The projects provide a “hands on” approach to teaching life skills such as responsibility, daily management, record keeping and marketing, not only their animal, but also themselves. Any individual, business, community club or group can bid at the auctions, the SEYF website explains.
“Last year our Marion County youth sold 478 market animals, with those sales grossing $1.9 million. More than 95% of those funds went directly into the hands of our youth in agriculture,” LeFils said. “This year we have 592 entries for market animals.”
LeFils said the SEYF also “broke records last year with the Southeastern Youth In Agriculture Foundation awarding 20 students with scholarship funds totaling $37,500.”
“In case there are youth out there who remain undecided, the window for all other (non-market) entries will open Nov. 4-18. These categories include BBQ contest, tractor driving, rabbits, chickens, beef heifer, dog, horse, speech contest, tablescaping, photography, garden show, art show, kitchen show, conservation trays, insect collection and livestock judging,” LeFils noted.
The mission of the nonprofit organization is “to recognize the outstanding youth of Marion County through the Southeastern Youth Fair as a showcase for competition, exhibition, enhanced educational opportunities and the promotion of self-esteem and personal growth and development while aiding in the education of the citizens of Marion County regarding the importance of agriculture and related industries in our area,” the website states.
It takes numerous volunteers to organize and execute the annual event and many of the adults participated in the fair in their youth. Many of the student participants come from long lines of SEYF alumni.
The theme for the 2026 Southeastern Youth Fair is Sew it, Grow it, Show it! Members of the public are welcome to attend the various activities and the calendar is available on the website.
To learn more, go to seyfair.com
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