The Life of a Show Mom: An INSIDE LOOK at the Livestock Shows at the Florida State Fair

Early mornings. Late nights. Long weekends. Projects that last for months. Dirty clothes stained with hard work and determination. Livestock shows in rural America, where kids come to compete and show off their projects. Maybe … just maybe, you’ll receive a call back or win a class.

Shake that judge’s hand and head to the winner’s circle with pride and a smile. Take a picture with your animal in front of a banner. Trailer home. Tuck your animal safely back into its home and your farmer into your bed, too. Close your eyes, and you’ll both be up to feed again at 6 a.m.

Quietly, in the background of this life, lives a show mom or dad. You know how to spot them at any youth livestock show. They are the ones driving the trailers, holding the water sprayers, setting up camp so there is a cool place to sit and relax while the kid settles in for a full weekend show. It’s usually a family affair.

Like any sport, there is community in the circuits you travel and friendly competition.

A new era begins

It wasn’t on my parenting bingo card to learn the ropes of livestock showing or judging, but like any parent who supports the young dreams of her children, my husband and I dove headfirst into this world knowing absolutely nothing. Three years in, and I wish we would have started earlier.

I first learned that we were about a decade behind, as we didn’t own land or animals or a farm, and our school didn’t have agriculture programs. To my surprise, a middle school agriculture class via Florida Virtual School lit the flame for my daughter, Shelby.

We enrolled her at Gaither High School, which had a pre-veterinary track and a thriving Future Farmers of America program. My show mom era had officially begun, and so many life lessons for both myself and our kids.

Lessons learned along the way

Our first lesson was a hard one. We (my daughter and I) missed a very important date to register for a show. No exceptions. It crushed us. We didn’t know.

And each time you enter the show ring is an opportunity to learn, too. With every show, there are so many factors that go into winning. And when things don’t go your way, it’s about the grace of congratulating the winners and keeping your head held high when heading back to the barn to continue to practice and prep your animal for the next show.

As a show mom, you get a front-row seat to all of it. The wins are high, and losses can be devastating. You are in the trenches with them, each step of the way, and know all the sacrifices they have made. Animal projects require months of preparation every day.

And to “show” your animal means you must train your animal. We often joke that her barn is cleaner than her room.

Time for the Big Show at the Florida State Fair

With the Florida State Fair kicking off on Feb. 5, my daughter is ready for her Super Bowl.

The Florida State Fair is a culminating show for thousands of livestock exhibitors all over the state of Florida. Youth will come and show off all of their hard work in the TECO Arena with their animals and knowledge of all species.

The Champion of Champions Animal & Youth Program looks to recognize youth specializing in various species in animal genetics, breeding and husbandry, as well as participation in the educational portion.

When you enter the fair to browse through the animals and read their posters or listen to their ask-me talks, remember that these kids have been working on this for months, so many hours that no one ever sees.

Only the show mom knows how hard they’ve worked to get here.

The Stars Align…

“Good luck, Shelbs,” I whisper. “You got this.” She turns to go into the show ring. Her blue corduroy jacket is clean, and her hair and makeup are polished. She knows she has our undivided support in all ways. Collecting tears and ribbons, banners and bruises, the life of a livestock show mom is not for the faint of heart.

Celebrate all of it. Even just getting your animal to the fair is enough to celebrate!

Then the announcement comes…

“And the 2025 Champion of Champions of the Florida State Fair is … Shelby Langford!”

And sometimes all the stars will align.

The experience is the journey, and the journey will always lead you on a path of greater appreciation for what it took to get there and who helped you along the way.

A little more about Shelby Langford:

• Shelby is competing in the 2026 Florida State Fair Youth Swine Show as a senior with her swine, Smash.
• She was the 1st Place Champion of the 2025 Champion of Champions Program out of 1900 agriculture exhibitors.
• She was the 5th Overall Champion Purebred in the 2025 Youth Livestock Show at the Florida State Fair.
• Shelby is the Secretary for the Gaither High School FFA Chapter.
• For more information on agriculture at the FloridaStateFairAg.com
• Shelby was featured as the September 2024 Kids to Know in Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine!
• She and her mom were featured on the April 2019 cover of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine as part of their journey after her Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis.