Even though this is the last week of August, fair season is far from over. The Manitowoc County Fair starts this week and the kids are preparing everything they can prior to bringing the animals to the grounds. Two of the 4-H members showing this year are Alex and Brynn Hackmann from the Liberty Go-Getters 4-H Club.
Alex, like a lot of fair showmen started showing when he was four years old and hasn’t stopped since. “I like showing off my animal and seeing how good she does,” he said. Brynn has been in the ring for quite a while as well, she explained that she’s been showing for five years now.
This week Brynn has her hands full as she’s not only showing dairy, but also pigs, plus numerous projects. She said that she’s entering a woodworking project, a crayon melting piece, a wreath, and a recipe box. Keeping that in mind, she’ll be very busy this week to say the least.
One of the tougher obstacles of showing an animal is initially training them to get used to a halter and also walk without being too stubborn. Alex explained that they start by tying the cattle up to a hay wagon and letting them get used to having that rope halter on their face, once they do that for about a week, then it’s time to start training them to walk. He made it sound very easy, but if you’ve ever shown before, you know how much work goes into training a heifer.
Brynn explained that they go right from school being let out for the summer to training animals for the fair. “I started probably when I ended school. You have to walk them every day so then they get used to a rope and they get used to you so then they don’t act up when you’re in the show ring,” she said.
Both Brynn and Alex agreed that one tip they have for all showmen is to make sure you have everything you need before getting to the fair. The worst part is getting there and realizing you didn’t pack all of the equipment needed for the show.
Lastly, Alex wanted everybody that’s showing at the fair this week to remember one thing, “just try your best and have fun.”
You can listen back to the full interview with Alex and Brynn on our agriculture podcast page.
The Manitowoc County Fair starts this Wednesday, August 25th and runs through August 29th. For more information on the fair, you can check out the fair schedule right here.
