Cassady Hill and Kayla Keating arrived bright and early to the San Joaquin AgFest on Tuesday.

As members of Future Farmers of America, they helped herd in 14 heads of cattle belonging to their Ripon High chapter.

Hill and Keating were used to this routine, having been part of the livestock events for the five years.

“It’s been a hot and tiring day,” said Hill, who was involved in the Cow / Calf pairing.

She displayed her 2-year-old bovine named Maddy alongside Keating’s 3-month-old calf Dottie in the San Joaquin County Fairground’s Ag Pavillion.

Keating, who will be a junior at RHS, then showed her Angus beef cow, which was awarded a grand reserve champion.

In addition to breeding beef, Day 1 of AgFest consisted market swine, dairy goats, pygmy goats, Boer goats, market swine and breeding sheep.

The grand opening ceremonies were also held along with a hamburger dinner sponsored by the San Joaquin-Stanislaus Cattle Women for all exhibitors.

Meanwhile, Jorden Hill, another incoming junior at RHS and Cassady’s sister, will be showing her market goat today at 1 p.m.

Also on tap for Day 2 are market swine 4-H showmanship & breeding poultry at 8:30 a.m. followed by market beef and market sheep at 9 o’clock.

Look for students from the Manteca High, East Union, Sierra High, Lathrop High, Weston Ranch High FFA chapters to display their projects.

In addition, AgFest will feature breeding rabbits and breeding poultry table top show (10 a.m.), breeding poultry showmanship (noon), dairy showmanship followed by replacement heifers (1 p.m.) and market swine showmanship (3 p.m.).

After today the AgFest offers:

uThursday, June 18 – Dairy cattle and market sheep showmanship along with market turkeys and meat birds (9 a.m.), market rabbits (10 a.m.), market goat showmanship (noon), market beef showmanship (1 p.m.), dog show (2:30 p.m.), chef demonstration at Farm to Fork (5 p.m.), and “Farm to Fork” dinner and floral auction / livestock costume contest (6:30 p.m.), ice cream social for all exhibitors sponsored by the AgFest junior board (7:30 p.m.), exhibitor social, music & fun sponsored by the San Joaquin Fair (8 p.m.).

uFriday, June 19 – Livestock judging contest & Pee Wee dairy showmanship (9:30 a.m.), pre-junior showmanship & beef fitting / hay bucking contest (1 p.m.), master showmanship (6 p.m.), awards & closing ceremonies (8 p.m.).

uSaturday, June 20 – Livestock & vocational auction (9 a.m.).

AgFest is a partnership of Delta Cal Section FFA, San Joaquin County 4H, SJC Office of Education’s Educational Foundation and 2nd Agricultural District.

For more information and schedules, log on to www.sanjoaquinagfest.org.