The 2025-26 Central Florida Fair Junior Livestock Board.
Since its formation in 2012, the Central Florida Fair (CFF) Junior Livestock Board (JB) has provided a unique opportunity for young people to stay engaged in the livestock program beyond their years as exhibitors. According to Jacqueline Stough, CFF’s livestock and education manager, the board was created to encourage continued involvement in the fair and livestock committees while educating youth on the inner workings of running a large-scale fair.
“Our junior board members are fully responsible for planning and executing a three-species Jackpot show [called] ‘Rock Your Stock,’ assisting with pre-fair activities and supporting the annual fair,” Stough says. Members gain hands-on experience with everything from weigh-ins and ethics certification classes, to clerking and show data entry, helping them become advocates for the fair.
Jacqueline Stough, the livestock and education manager for CFF.
Reflecting on her years leading the board, Stough highlights the joy of seeing months of hard work culminate during the fair.
“Every year, the most special memory is when the team gets to see all their hard work come to life,” she says. “The look on their faces when they see eight months of planning play out in three days is amazing.”
Throughout the years, each junior board team has grown stronger, more efficient and increasingly capable.
The 2024-25 team hosts the ninth annual “Rock Your Stock” livestock show.
The junior board also plays a vital role in the larger CFF organization. It serves as the right hand to the livestock manager, filling in during busy times or when committee members are short-handed. Beyond operational support, board members engage in community outreach, becoming ambassadors for the fair and sharing their personal experiences with the public. In this way, they contribute not only to the livestock program, but to the fair’s mission of education and community involvement.
One often-overlooked aspect of the junior board is its impact on youth development. For example, joining the program in 2013 helped Stough refine skills in planning, public speaking and career exploration. After initially aspiring to become an agriculture teacher, she eventually discovered a passion for event management through her work with the board.
“It opened my eyes to careers I didn’t see possible, and gave me opportunities I hadn’t imagined,” she says. Stough’s goal now is to provide similar experiences for every exhibitor and team member she mentors.
The Central Florida Fair Junior Livestock Board is more than a youth program; it’s a launchpad for leadership, skill building and lifelong involvement in agriculture and community events. Through dedication, education and hands-on experience, the board continues to cultivate the next generation of fair advocates.
