ROBSTOWN, Texas — Among the goats, pigs, horses and hundreds of 4-H students, a brand new event: the Allstar Show.
Julia Gillian, the 4-H President for the Flour Bluff and Padre Island saw the lack of special needs students involved in the show, so she organized the event.
"I wanted to include them into the fun and exciting opportunity that 4-H is," she said.
On Saturday afternoon, children with special needs gathered in the main hall at the Richard M. Borchard Fairgrounds for the show.
Other 4-H students donated their goat or sheep to a child and assisted them as they walked through the arena. A judge walked around to look at each of the animals as if it were the real deal.
"They're really enjoying the goats and the judges," Gillian added.
Among the smiling faces was Evelyn Reyes. She sported a bright pink, cowgirl getup. Her father, Rick Reyes, watched from afar as his daughter enjoyed the show.
"Just watching her do stuff is amazing, you know, like a normal child," Reyes said.
Reyes said it took weeks of practice and coordination with students like Julia.
"We acted like we were the goats you know and she walked us," Reyes added.
For the Ruiz family, the Allstar Show was a family affair.
"This is one event that brought us all together today which is really amazing with the kids, the students, the volunteers," Erica Ruiz explained.
Ruiz had two sons who were in the show. She said it was amazing that special needs children were able to participate in a event like the Junior Livestock Show.
"It was amazing seeing them up there thinking that they would never be able to do that and they just did," the mother added.
The show continues through Sunday, January 20th at the Richard M. Borchard Faigrounds in Robstown, Texas. For a full schedule and more information, visit their website here.
