WHAT WAS THE SUNSHINE STATE CUP?

The Sunshine State Cup, or SSC for short, was an awards program designed to recognize youth who compete in livestock judging contests throughout the season for continued excellence.

The purpose of this program is to recognize top youth livestock judging team members who may or may not win the state championships, but have continually proven they are competitive and driven towards success with high scores at contests around the state throughout the season.

Points were awarded to youth who compete in eligible contests throughout the season using a formula based on the total number of points a youth earns at a contest from class and questions scores. Points are also awarded based on a youth's individual placing if they place within the top 10 in their division, as well as the percentile within their division they finished in. (No points are awarded for team rankings or scores, as this is an individual event.)

The junior division included youth who are in the eighth grade and below, while the senior division included youth who are in grades nine through twelve. Points were accumulated throughout the season and the top 10 winners in each division were announced in late spring.

This program was inspired by those that are similar and currently offered in other states, such as Texas and Missouri. For more information on how they work, please click here.