County fair season has come and gone for some counties in the area, but we still have a few more weeks of 4-H and FFA members showing in the area. Two of those 4-Her’s prepping for the fair are Makayla and Caleb Loppnow of Morrison 4-H. The siblings will be showing at the Brown County Fair this week, Makayla’s been showing for the past ten years, while Caleb has been in the ring for nine.
“My mom and all her siblings were in 4-H when they were my age and then my cousins started joining 4-H, so then when I was younger I wanted to too, so I just followed them,” Makayla said.
She explained that she has to start preparing for the fair about one year ahead of time by choosing what cow to breed to what sire so she has a nice calf for the next fair and then also selecting the steer she wants to bring that year. Altogether with the breeding cycle, the process is about a two-year ordeal by the time you breed the cow, she has the calf, and he’s old enough for the market.
Besides the tough decision of what animal to choose, she also mentioned once you’re over that hurdle, the next challenge is halter breaking the steer. If you’ve ever dealt with beef cattle, you know they can be anything but compliant at times until they’re trained correctly.
Beef judging at the fair starts at 10 am, but that doesn’t mean the day starts any later than normal. “It starts at probably four am washing, feeding, blowing them so that they’re all dry, and then after you blow-dry them, getting the products that you want in their hair,” she said. “You start with your first animal that’s in the closest class to the beginning of the show. You get them all fitted, and get their hair looking nice, get them looking presentable for the judge, and then you keep moving through the show and getting your animals ready.” It’s a long day, to say the least.
As far as showing poultry goes, Caleb is the one to talk to. He explained the basics of what a judge looks for in a chicken because it’s more than one would assume. “They’re trying to make sure that the wings look good, all the feathers are clean and not ripped up. They’re also looking to make sure their toenails are clipped, their beaks aren’t growing over the top, they’re looking for the combs, that the bird has the right comb,” he explained. “There’s a book called The Standard of Perfection that states what type of comb a chicken is supposed to have…” Some judges take it as far as disqualifying a chicken for not having the correct comb.
Caleb’s advice for those starting to show on the poultry side is to make sure your birds are VERY clean. He explained that it’s not uncommon for a bird to get mites either from their cage not being cleaned out or from being outside and in contact with wild birds. That’s one of the reasons that when a bird is brought to the fair, they’re checked over carefully to make sure there’s nothing on them and they’re clean. If a bird would have mites, it’d immediately be sent back to the farm so they don’t spread to other chickens at the show.
When it comes to showmanship for poultry, Caleb explained that it’s a bit different than showmanship for other animals because you don’t have to know the breeding history of the parents, it’s more intricate than that. “It’s more about the common knowledge of the breed…you basically do as much studying as you can on that bird,” he went on to say that the questions get harder as you get older. “You also have to know parts of the bird, diseases that can happen, and I’ve even had people ask me, what percent protein is their feed.” It’s almost like school, the more you know, the better you’ll do.
Even with all of the hard work that goes into showing poultry, Caleb said he’s not stopping any time soon. “I keep showing because it’s different every year. There’s always something different,” he said. “I not only enjoy it, but I have lots of fun with it. I love getting the birds as chicks and seeing them grow up to be your show bird that you see at the fair.” He adds that he loves seeing the other breeds of chickens and hanging out with his friends because they’re all showing poultry as well and they help each other out. “It’s like a big team that shows a bunch of different birds.”
Makayla explained that if this is someone’s first year showing beef cattle or any animal for that matter, you need to be relaxed. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, but it is good advice. “I know you can get really anxious and you can get nervous, but you just have to stay calm because it’ll help your animal stay calm and it’ll just help you overall to do better when you’re showing,” she said.
Caleb’s advice is to talk to somebody that’s already in the project. This can relate to any animal or any other area of the fair you’re interested in. He stressed that you shouldn’t be afraid to ask the more experienced showmen any questions that you may have related to the project, and he adds that watching the show is a huge help as well. You can learn a lot from the people that have been in the ring for a few years.
By going to your county fair, Makayla mentioned that it’s a really great opportunity for people to see the hard work 4-H and FFA kids are putting into their animals all summer long. Without the hard work and dedication to the show, the animals wouldn’t be trained well enough to be at the fair. It takes time and a lot of effort to get them in the ring.
The Brown County Fair kicks off on August 18th (Wednesday) and goes through the 21st. You can listen back to the full interview with Makayla and Caleb on our agriculture podcast page.
