Livestock Show highlights Chamber luncheon

LPR staff

Lockhart Chamber of Commerce hosted its monthly luncheon last week at the Lockhart First National Church Connection Center. A large crowd usually attends this special event, and this year was no different.  

Every month there is a presentation for the crowd but each February First Lockhart National Bank kindly hands over the luncheon presentation to the Caldwell County Livestock Show, allowing them to help raise awareness and raise money to support the Caldwell County Junior Livestock Show. At the Luncheon, a few kids who will be showing at the Livestock Show spoke about their animal projects and daily duties. This allows the kids an opportunity to speak publicly and connect with the community buyers’ groups, who are seeking additional funds to help support their projects.

This year the three members who spoke relayed the message of encouraging everyone to attend and help support the local show. Clarke Jakel is the 4-H Council President and 10 year showman at the Caldwell County Show. Jakel has shown rabbits, turkeys, pigs and chickens. Reminding the crowd,” Jakel said, “That every year is not a great year for us, and stated you will have those but you just have to come back next year and do better.”

Courtney Dredla also presented and explained that she has been homeschooled for the last 5 years and this was her 8th year of showing swine mostly. She stated that being in 4-H teaches a lot about time management. Dredla hosted her first swine clinic in December 2024. 

McKeana Frey also presented and stated she is a third generation Caldwell County 4-H showman. Only a 6th grader, she has already displayed great showmanship with winning Junior Beef Show and 1st class with her beef heifer. She has been busy preparing for the show as she will enter 7 projects in the project fair as well as showing meat rabbits this year. Her goal is to work on her showmanship this year. 

Elsie Lacey, Extension Agent for Texas A&M Agri Life was excited to announce that this year there are more entries into the fair than ever before. Last year’s show boasted a whopping 115 projects and raised a record breaking $319,000 in support. Lacey also encouraged the community to come out and support the children, “It takes a county to raise a kid.” 

BJ Westmoreland and Stephanie Riggin, co-emcees of the luncheon, thanked the First Lockhart National Bank for the continued support of the Livestock show. Many members in the crowd were also noted for their generosity of the annual event. 

They also touched on the importance of supporting the kids. Moreland recalled a memory about the gratitude the kids show to the buyers of their projects. “I was having a bad day one day and went to the mailbox. In there I found a hand-written thank you card from one of the kids that I had donated money to. I can’t even remember what my bad day was about, but I sure can remember that card.” Riggin echoed that thought as to how good it is to receive one of those thank you’s in the mail. 

Lacey reminded everyone that check in is on Thursday, judging will begin on Friday for projects and the silent auction of the project fair items will start approximately at 2 pm. Judging continues begins first thing on Saturday. Kruez will cater the Barbecue dinner at 4 pm. All winners will be available for pictures at 5:30 p.m. The event is culminated with the annual animal auction at 6 p.m. Everyone is invited to come out and bid high and often. 

In other business:

•Megan Carvajal, the new CEO Lockhart Chamber of Commerce, announced the Lockhart Post-Register as being named the Chamber Member of the Month. 

•Kruez Market served brisket, sausage and sides at the monthly event. 

•Also, the Chisholm Trail Roundup is looking for volunteers to help with the 52nd annual event. Contact the Chamber office to volunteer.