The 2008 Rocky Mountain Junior Beef Expo will be next weekend at Island Grove Regional Park in north Greeley.

The open-to-the-world steer and heifer show is for young people ages 8-20 as of the day of the show and will be Saturday and May 25. Prizes for the supreme champion heifer and steer will be $1,000 each, with $500 going to second-place winners, $250 for third place and $100 for fourth. Breed champions will receive trophy belt buckles; reserve champions will earn gear bags.

The annual show was organized in 1999 by a group of volunteers who continue to plan, host and raise money for the event, which averages 150 exhibitors from Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and Texas.

Funding for the prizes is made possible by breed association sponsorships and donations from interested agribusinesses and individuals.

This year's show will start with a judging contest Saturday afternoon. Contestants will evaluate eight classes of beef cattle, and seniors will be required to give oral reasons. Saturday will also feature individual breed activities and will conclude with a complimentary hamburger fry for participants, their families and show sponsors.

Sunday's activities will begin with an 8 a.m. heifer show, followed by the steer show in the afternoon.

Registered heifers, born between Sept. 1, 2006, and Dec. 31, 2007, will be shown by age and breed. Steers will be shown by weight and breed, while crossbred steers will be shown by weight. In addition, there will be a commercial heifer jackpot show following registered heifer classes.

To go

For information on the annual Rocky Mountain Junior Beef Expo, call (970) 834-2138.