Someone turned up the heat and the activity here in Montgomery as the temperatures turn springlike, and our calendars show all the signs of the rodeo coming to town. This week’s post may be short and sweet since staff is moving in all directions…but know our boots are always on the ground working for you!
SLE Rodeo in Town Next Week!
The rodeo may be in town next week, but the fun starts now! Today, staffers M
organ Pounds, Ali Cantrell and Lauren Wilson welcomed bus loads of college and high school judging teams to the SLE Livestock Judging Contest. More than 150 youth gathered at the Garrett Coliseum to judge livestock classes and put to work their judging skills, sponsored by the SLE and executed but he hand of Extension’s Jason P’Poole. Thanks, Jason!
That’s not all the SLE fun happening this week, though, as ticket sales are keeping the phones off the hook, media interviews are happening across town and all the nuts and bolts of executing an event of the caliber are in motion.
We are in the single digits…just 8 days out from the first performance of 2020! Buck on over to www.SLERodeo.com/Tickets now to secure your seats at the greatest show on dirt! This year’s show is sure to please as we’re featuring freestyle bullfighting, the best stock in the PRCA, all kinds of children’s events and hometown rodeo clown, Trent McFarland! We’ve got some awesome ticket deals available for you to take advantage of, so don’t wait. Get on over to www.SLERodeo.com to learn more about all that SLE Livestock Week offers and to purchase your tickets today! And don’t forget- we offer group ticket sales to groups of 25+ members.
Our ticket sales guru, Sydney Dougherty, is the friendly voice you’ll hear when you call 888-2RODEO2 and now through rodeo time, you can find her here at the office selling tickets during the drive time, 5-7 p.m. and during the lunch hour. Can’t call her during your work day? No big deal— find her here when you have time!
2020 SPRING YOUTH PRODUCTION FIELD DAY
Information is now available on the 2020 Spring Youth Production Field Day 
being hosted on April 18 at Quail Valley Farms in Oneonta, AL (Blount County). Youth will enjoy a variety of educational topics from EPDs to cattle judging and from ultrasound scanning to a farm tour. Lunch will be provided at this FREE youth event, and it is brought to all youth of our state by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Registration for this event is NOW OPEN. Learn more » www.BamaBeef.org/FieldDay
Consumers Hear about Beef
This week, we published a blog article written by checkoff-contracted Registered Dietitian Elesha Ergle on the portable nutrition of beef. Her post focused on the fact that families are on the move this time of year as the weather warms up, and highlighted the many ways beef can be a portable and nutritious meal. This post will also be used in a consumer e-newsletter, coming soon to an inbox near you!
ACA MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
As of today, the ACA is proud to represent 7,019 members in the 2020 year 
and counting as county meetings are still happening, although the calendar is lightening up. Following the annual meetings, leaders, we as that you send in county leader contact information so we can update it on our website in our records!
A couple of deadlines to remember as we get deeper into the year:
- Early Bird Membership Drawing: March 31, 2020
- Over the Top Red Coat Deadline: June 30, 2020
- Top Hand Recruiting Deadline: December 31, 2020
PROSTART INVITATIONAL
Earlier this week, staffer Ali Cantrell traveled to Orange Beach for the ProStart Invitational Cook-off. As a sponsor of this event, she was able to meet with potential culinary students to educate them about beef cooking techniques and the beef production system. She also presented the contestants with the Best Beef Dish Award!
Speaking of, beef Cook-offs are underway throughout Alabama! Ali is preparing for our Alabama Jr. & Sr. High School Beef Cook-off on April 4. If your county has hosted a local beef cook-off, be sure to get your winners registered on our website at www.bamabeef.org/events/2020/alabama-juniorsenior-high-school-cookoff and contact Ali Cantrell if you have any questions. THIS FRIDAY, March 13, is the last days for students to register for our state cook-off.
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