As has been uttered many a time this year, everything is so weird. Our state fair was canceled, like many events, due to the pandemic, but our health district, county commissioners and local extension all agreed the 4-H kids should still be able to show and sell their animals, and they all worked together to make The Show happen.
As some of my long time readers know, I’m a 4-H beef leader, and today I did my Beefling leader duty. I had a tag mix up between two of my Beeflings and had to put out that fire with the head people in charge before I even did my daily pen inspection.
Then there was the show stick retrievals, baby wipe hunting expeditions, pep talk courage building sessions with the kids who didn’t prepare enough and were stressed by the fact that they couldn’t control their fourteen hundred pound blocks of show steer. All of this is pretty standard really, albeit this year we had masks, social distancing, and completely different protocol to learn and contend with.
However, the highlight of my day was when Roscoe, a fourteen hundred and fifty-seven pound beast who belongs to one of my favorite kids got his head so stuck in a panel that ten of us had to hold it in the air as we shoved Roscoe’s massive cranium back through.
And you know what? I get to do it all again tomorrow.
But these kids are just the most hardworking, tenacious group of young people I’ve ever met, so I’m happy to be here helping them.
And here I am complaining about hefting around sheep. That is one reason I am not raising beef. Big brutes. I have serious respect for people who are handling them.
Spokane has a "virtual fair" this year.... 🤢 🙄
Awe, thanks! :) I have legendary respect for people who raise sheep, I used to help my uncle with them and their decision making skills sometimes made me crazy lol.
I’m so glad we got to have the show and sale this year, everyone worked hard and made it happen. One fun thing was the sale was in the rodeo arena for social distancing reasons and they didn’t get to the steers til dark. Even the best trained ones were flipping out. Let’s just say I have some new bruises!
My dad always raised sheep, and this is the best description of them I've seen yet!
I am glad the 4-H show went on, even if the fair was canceled. After all the months of hard work those kids have put into their animals, it was the sensible decision. But really, masks in the show ring? Geez.
I, too, am glad the show went on, things were definitely different this year, but not all of it was a bad different.
And next year the fair is going to be ten days long instead of five! So we have that to look forward too!
Sounds like a 4-H Show alright... :))
LOL! I feel like you’ve experienced such things;)
Just a "few" years decades ago... :))