The Keystone International Livestock Exposition (KILE) returned to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg Friday, Sept. 29 for its 66th year, bringing two weekends of livestock competitions and exhibitions featuring 1,000-plus competitors from 27 states, as well as agriculture career development, and free family fun. The East Coast’s largest livestock show includes a national 4-H, FFA, and collegiate team and individual judging competition, along with thousands North America’s best cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, alpacas, and horses in action in dozens of widely varied competitions.
“KILE features top-notch animals in competition, led by skilled exhibitors who have bred and raised them,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “But the heart and soul of this event are the youth who are learning the leadership and agriculture skills they will need to succeed in life and become the innovative, agile workforce our agriculture employers need to compete. Youth are the seeds of agriculture’s future, and every hour and dollar we invest in their development and growth feeds all of our futures.”
The first weekend of KILE included ranch riding, featuring the horses’ skills at maneuvering through a series of patterns and challenges at working speed. Rounding out the first weekend, goat and hog shows featured a wide array of breeds, as well as youth showmanship, testing young people in their animal care and handling.
Competitions resume Thursday, October 5 and continue through Sunday the 8th, with contests running daily from 8:00 a.m. to approximately 9:00 p.m., except Sunday, when the final event begins at 1:00 p.m.
KILE’s second weekend will include everything from enormous draft horses and compact Halflinger ponies in pulling, hitch, and decorating contests; sheep and cattle shows featuring a stunning variety of breeds including fan-favorite Highland cows; 25 teams of high school and collegiate competitors in a national judging competition; Make it With Wool, an all-wool clothing design and construction competition; and even a “lead line” where sheep and their handlers sport matching costumes. The youngest spectators can get in the action in a pedal-tractor pulling contest https://www.keystonelivestockexpo.com/.
The North American All Breeds 6-Horse Hitch Classic Series and the Haflinger Hitch Pony Champion Series classes will feature some of the country’s best draft horses and ponies competing for berths at the national finals. The event also features the Keystone Classic Barbecue Competition, a Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event, bringing the region’s finest culinary competitors to qualify for their national competition.
Source: pennwatch.org
Photo Credit: Keystone International Livestock Expo
Categories: Pennsylvania, Livestock