4-H animals a big draw at county fair

It's that time of year when the youth of 4-H can show off the work they've done over the past year and their animals continue to be a big attraction to fairgoers.

The five 4-H clubs – Heron-Noxon Explorers, Trout Creek Mavericks, Whitepine Happy Workers, Thompson Falls Mountaineers, Plains South Side Sparks, Hot Springs Wranglers, and the Little Bitterroot Club – had 135 animals to show this year. Showmanship competition enthusiasm was evident throughout the week and judges pointed out how impressed they were by the kids' knowledge.

Swine had the biggest numbers with 42, which included senior, junior and novice (first time showers) competitors. There were 14 novice swine participants this year with Kara Christensen of the Hot Springs Wranglers taking the grand champion ribbon, followed by Marina Tulloch of the same club with the reserve. In the junior competition, John Thurston of the South Side Sparks took top honors. Reserve went to Hattie Neesvig of the Happy Workers.

For the first time that organizers could recall, the judge, Dick Perkins of Garrison, presented all of the seven senior division competitors with purple ribbons. Happy Worker Josey Neesvig nabbed the grand champion and Cody Hansen of the South Side Sparks took the reserve.

Perkins served as judge for swine, goats, beef, and sheep for showmanship and market animals. Perkins hadn't been a Sanders County judge since 1991, when Corey Guenzler, the present livestock chairman, was a 4-H competitor.

Though barn superintendent Nancy Beech had only 14 horses this year, equine competition has the most showmanship classes with 16 this year, taking six hours. The top senior showmanship ribbon went to Deriyan Sheehan of the South Side Sparks. Sheehan competed in five different classes, the most of any 4-H member. Sydnee Wilson of the Happy Workers took the junior grand. The horse competitors also participated in a costume contest. Beech said there were some unique costumes this year. Carlie Wagoner of the South Side Sparks dressed as a woodland fairy and made her horse a unicorn. McKenna Craik of the Happy Workers dressed her horse as Phantom of the Opera.

In the goat competition, Presley Cox of the Mavericks was the only senior participant and took the grand champion ribbon. He took grand champion as the sole competitor in the senior poultry class. In the junior class goat competition, Annaliese Craik of the Happy Workers was the grand champion, followed by Savana Wilson, also of the Whitepine club, for the reserve champ. There were no senior sheep competitors, but in the junior competition, Jacob Thurston of the South Side Sparks took the grand and Brooke Jackson of the Wranglers was the reserve.

There were only two cat competitors. Cox took the grand senior showmanship and Savana Wilson claimed grand in the junior class. In the dog junior competition, Jessica Land of the Mavericks won grand champion; Vanessa Horner, also of Trout Creek, won the reserve.

Of the 25 4-H rabbits, 14-year-old Vanessa Horner of the Trout Creek Mavericks had 14, which included 10 babies. Rachel Wrobleski of the South Side Sparks was the sole senior rabbit competitor and won the grand champion. There were eight contestants in the junior rabbit contest. The judge, Marla Burgess, narrowed down the final three with a collection of questions. In the end, Claire Wrobleski took the grand and Lucy Foyil of the Happy Workers the reserve.

Claire Wrobleski also captured the grand championship ribbon in the junior poultry competition. Jaedyn Murray of the Heron-Noxon Explorers was the reserve champion.

The beef show drew the largest crowd with nearly 150 spectators for the over three-hour long competition. The seniors had 14 steers and had to be shown in two groups. Perkins selected Sydney Jackson of the Wranglers for his grand champion, followed by Coby Guenzler as the reserve champ. In the junior competition, Cody Hafner of the South Side Sparks was the grand champion, followed by Sydnee Wilson in reserve.

The final competitions for the week were the Round Robin contests, which called for the kids to show not only their own animal species, but to also demonstrate their showmanship skills with other species. Rachel Wrobleski took the senior small animal Round Robin. Presley Cox won the reserve. Claire Wrobleski claimed the junior small animal grand while Jaedyn Murray took the junior small animal reserve. In the large animal contest, Sydnee Jackson took the grand champion Round Robin and Deriyan Sheehan took the reserve.

Although animals are a large part of the 4-H program, the kids also had more than 500 entries in a variety of projects from baked goods to welding. "I'm amazed every year. It just blows me away," said Karen Dwyer, a 4-H volunteer and leader for nearly 30 years. "Just when you think everything's been done, the kids come up with something brand new," added Dwyer, this year's Community Service Award recipient.

She was particularly surprised by Jesse Uski's milk jug raft, which got him a red ribbon. Uski's 7 ½-foot long raft was comprised of more than 100 plastic milk jugs formed together under a wooden platform with duct tape.

Little Bitterroot Club's Wyatt Goode, 17, constructed a 26-foot tall wheel rake flower in the welding category, fetching a blue ribbon. Goode said it took him about two days to build his metal project, which will be a present for his grandmother, Maggie Goode. He plans to be a professional welder.

Shirley Kinkade, the extension office administrative assistant, also remarked on the kids' imagination and dedication to their projects. She was particularly impressed with a blue ribbon garden water fountain by Mackenzie Robinson of the Thompson Falls Mountaineers. "Every year, there's something unique," said Kinkade. "It's amazing to see some of the abilities that come from these young kids."