Members of the Oakville and Portage 4-H Clubs are ready to show off a year’s worth of dedication at their upcoming Steer and Lamb Sale this Friday, July 4 at the Portage Ex grounds.
The event kicks off at 2 p.m., with a free lunch for prospective buyers from noon until 1 p.m.
Chase Wood from the Oakville 4-H Club shares that this year he’s bringing a steer and a heifer to the sale.
“You could either show a steer, a heifer, a cow and a calf or a lamb,” he notes. “My heifer, she’s good enough to go to show but my steer, we had to halter break him from the start and like feed him lots of grain and all that stuff.”
Atli Wood says she’s showing a steer, a lamb, and a cow-calf pair. That’s a lot of responsibility, especially considering the work doesn’t stop when the snow falls.
Isabella Shaw from the Portage 4-H Club walks through what happens before the sale starts.
“The day starts off with all the kids waking up pretty early to wash their calves,” she explains. “After they're washed, they get blown off and then usually clipped, then they go back into the barn or just get tied up.”
She adds that animals are then judged on grooming and showmanship.
The kids don’t just raise their animals, they name them too. Chase says his animals are named Cody and Cassidy, while Atli has Ivan, Cookies, Meredith, and Doodoo. Isabella names hers Boomer and Brisket.
As for what they’ll do with the money they make from the sale?
Atli says, “I’m thinking maybe a pool.” Chase agrees: “Oh, pool too.”
Isabella has a different plan: “I was thinking maybe buying another colt to start off on my own.”
The young 4-Hers encourage the community to come out and support them, cheer them on, and maybe even place a bid.
The 4-H Market Steer & Lamb Sale takes place Friday, July 4 at 2 p.m. at the Portage Ex.
- with files from Brittany Boschman
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