4-H kids, animals take center stage

People attend the Sanders County Fair for a number of reasons - carnival, rodeo, demolition derby, and greasy food - but seeing the 4-H kids show their animals is always a big draw.

"I think most people come to see the exhibits and the animals," said Karrie Baldwin of Thompson Falls. Her grandson, John McNamara of the South Side Sparks club in Plains, had the most animals at the fair, including six sheep, a rooster named "Reggie," and the only pocket pet at the fair, a scorpion named "Forest." He took the grand and reserve in the sheep breeding contest, had the top market sheep project, received a purple for his sheep interview, and a purple ribbon for the scorpion.

"I think most people like seeing the animals at the fair," said JuliThurston, the Sanders County extension agent in charge of the 4-H program. "Who doesn't like seeing cute little animals, especially babies?" said Thurston, whose son, Matthew participated in the swine competition. "A lot of people don't have a place to keep animals, but they would like to, so this is where they get their animal fix," she said. "There was such a variety of animals and it's the most we've had in a long time," said Thurston, the extension agent for the last eight years.

More than 50 boys and girls of the six 4-H clubs and the Future Farmers of America organization spent three days demonstrating their showmanship skills and answering an infinite number of questions about their animals. The critters numbered over 120 throughout the week and ranged from a pocket pet weighing mere ounces to an angus tipping the scales at over 1,600 pounds.

Showmanship is the climax event for the kids, who showed horses, cows, sheep, goats, cats, rabbits, swine, and poultry. The kids cleaned, brushed, oiled, and clipped their animals before the shows. Each judge provided constructive feedback to the kids.

The beef show took nearly three hours. Judge Jodi Pauley of Deer Lodge broke the 15 seniors into two groups, giving purple ribbons to half in each group before returning for a final showdown. Hot Springs resident Richard Jackson said they had a good showing of animals. "Anytime you can get 20 or more in this county we're really doing good," said Jackson, the beef and dairy barn superintendent for over 12 years. For the second consecutive year, Kara Christensen of the Wranglers took top honors in the senior class and Cody Hafner of the South Side Sparks received the reserve ribbon. Easton Deal took the grand and Jaci Gerhard took the reserve in the junior class. Both wereWhitepine Happy Workers.

Though fewer than last year, pigs once again dominated the 4-H animals with just over 30, with more than a dozen senior and junior members showing, and this year with only four novice participants. Solveig Nygaard of the Whitepine Happy Workers was grand champion in the senior class and MikiahCook of the South Side Sparks was the reserve champ. In the junior class, the grand went to Grady Dana of the Trout Creek Mavericks and Andrew Frank, also a Maverick, took the reserve. Happy Worker Emalyn Roofener took grand in the novice class. Edward Fairbank, also of the Whitepine club, got the reserve ribbon.

There were no grand or reserve entrants in the junior class goat contest, but Brielle Clarke of the Wranglers took the senior grand and Isabella Buchanan took the reserve. The novice grand champion went to Matea Keefe of the Thompson Falls Mountaineers and the reserve was taken by Eliana Clarke of the Hot Springs Wranglers. In the junior sheep competition, Ayla Rehbein was the grand champion and Moriah Champneys took the reserve. Both are of the South Side Sparks. Isaiah Silva captured the grand championship in the novice class and Michaela Champneys took the reserve ribbon. Both are of the South Side Sparks. The senior sheep contestants received blue ribbons.

There were 18 rabbits in the 4-H showmanship competition, said Doug Horner, the rabbit barn superintendent. His daughter, Brianna Horner, was the only senior contestant and nabbed the grand. The grand in the junior class went to Katherine Wrobleski of the South Side Sparks. Leah Stover of the Mavericks took the reserve. Hannah Warnes of the Hot Springs Wranglers was the only cat showmanship contestant and took the grand champion ribbon.

The poultry barn was filled with nearly 50 birds - chickens, turkeys, ducks, and ornamental pigeons - 36 of them belonging to 4-H'ers. It was the first time in several years that a turkey was a part of the showmanship competition. Nine-year-old Aiden Williams of Dixon and a member of the South Side Sparks, presented 1-year-old "Black Pepper" in the showmanship contest. "I was cleaning his cage and he pecked my head," said Williams, who was given a blue ribbon by Gordon Cummings, a poultry judge at Sanders County Fair for 19 years. Wrangler Hannah Warnes snatched the senior grand and Riley Keefe of the Thompson Falls Mountaineers won the reserve ribbon. Cooper Spurr grabbed the junior class grand and Moriah Champneys took the reserve in the poultry contest. Both are members of the South Side Sparks.

Being the first year for Kassidy Dana of the Wranglers to compete in the horse showmanship didn't stop her from nabbing the senior grand champion prize on "Henry." Happy Worker Hailey Roofener took the reserve. For the junior class, Daniel Warnes of the Wranglers was the grand champ and Brooklynn Crain of the South Side Sparks took reserve.

The top showmanship winners had the chance to demonstrate their knowledge of other species with round robin competitions. The small animal round robin included the grand champions in the cat, poultry, rabbit, and goat competitions. The large animal round robin included the winners of the horse, beef, swine, and sheep. The small animal robin senior grand went to Hannah Warnes and the reserve was Brianna Horner. The grand junior small animal winner was Kendall Spurr with her sister, Cooper, taking the reserve. The large animal round robin in the senior class went to Kara Christensen with the reserve going to Kassidy Dana. For the junior class, the grand went to Easton Deal and the reserve went to Ayla Rehbein.