A sign promoting the Suwannee County Fair at the entrance to Live Oak.

The Suwannee County Fair Livestock Show and Sale is rapidly approaching and concerns have been raised over separate livestock shows and sales being held for the students.

During the March 6 Suwannee County Board of County Commission meeting, Chairman Wesley Wainwright advised the board that during a March 5 meeting, the Fair Board elected to have a separate livestock show and sale, not associated with that of the Livestock Board.

The decision came after a scheduling conflict that occurred a few weeks ago, according to Wainwright. The original dates for the 2012 Suwannee County Fair presented to the Livestock Board, who organizes the livestock show and sale, were April 6-14. However, the Suwannee County Fair was rescheduled for the week of March 30-April 7, Wainwright said.

Upon learning the fair dates were rescheduled, the Livestock Board chose not to change the dates of the show and sale, citing the animals had been purchased and prepared to show the week of April 11-14.

During a telephone interview, Fair Board Member Fred Henderson said that a small number of parents contacted the Fair Board requesting the show to be held during the week of the fair.

“Some of the parents had written down that the show and sale would be from April 4-April 7,” Henderson said. “There are three families whose kids are involved in other activities that week and they would have to otherwise carry their livestock to the market.”

Henderson emphasized that the Livestock Board does a great job with the show and sale and that the Fair Board will not solicit anyone to abandon the official livestock show and sale.

“The official show and sale is during the week of April 11-14,” Henderson stated.

According to a 4-H press release, the hog show will be held April 12 at 6 p.m., the steer show will be held April 13 at 6 p.m. and the sale will be April 14 at 1:30 p.m.

Minutes from the Feb. 13 Suwannee Valley Youth Livestock Show and Sale Board Meeting show that there was considerable discussion in changing the dates for the show and sale. According to those minutes, FFA advisors voiced concerns over changing the show and sale dates, due to state level FFA events during the new dates for the Suwannee County Fair, which also coincides with spring break for the Suwannee County School District.

During a joint telephone interview with Suwannee County Superintendent of Schools Jerry Scarborough and Suwannee High School Principal Ted Roush, Scarborough said the District supports the decision of the Livestock Board.

Although the Fair Board will not solicit students to show in the livestock show and sale during the week of the fair, it is ultimately up to the students to decide when they will show their animals.

According to Suwannee County Fair Manager Lynn Touchton, the Fair Board’s hog and steer show will be held on April 6 at 6 p.m., followed by the sale on April 7 at 12:30 p.m.

Touchton said that students should let them know by March 26 if they intend show their animals during the week of the fair.