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Before the rides and grandstand events of the Portage Ex officially get underway, local 4-H clubs, including those from Portage la Prairie and Oakville, launched the festivities with livestock competitions on Thursday, July 3.
Members were divided into four age categories: Cloverbud (ages 6–9), Junior (9–12), Intermediate (13–15), and Senior (16–24). Within those groups, youth competed in grooming and showmanship events, demonstrating the skills they've developed over months of preparation.
Ten-year-old Chase Wood is no stranger to the ring, having taken home first-place honours in both grooming and showmanship last year.
“I’m 10 years old. I’m competing in grooming right now, with cattle, he says. "I enjoy it so much, because you get a lot of experience with people and you get to work as a team with other people."
Young competitors take pride in their animals
Thirteen-year-old Aubrey, now in her third year with the Portage 4-H Beef Club, was also in the ring Thursday. She previously earned second place in a showmanship event and returned this year with a black Simmental steer named Ace.
“I am competing today i(Thursday) n showmanship and grooming,” says Aubrey.
Nine-year-old Paityn, a first-year member, was also in attendance, showing a red steer with a white face.
Avery Purkess, another competitor, raised a red Angus-Simmental cross. While she hadn’t secured any ribbons yet, she emphasized the broader purpose of the event.
Months of work lead to showtime
Participants start preparing long before the summer fair. Leaders say animals are selected and weighed as early as December, with youth caring for and training them for nearly seven months before the big event.
“This must be like a highlight for the kids,” adds Purkess.
“Yes. They start working on them early, and the official start date for us is in December. They work on them all the way from December until now.”
The Oakville club currently has 24 members, while the Cottage Club has about 12.
Senior member reflects on experience
Brock Sigurdson, a senior member of the Oakville 4-H Club, has seen his share of wins over the years and was among Thursday’s top achievers.
“Today (Thursday), I won in our Portage achievements. At seven tonight, we have an inter-club show tomorrow and the steer sale is at 2 p.m. I raised a steer to sell at the sale. So, you start on that steer or that project in the fall and you work until now. And then you sell the steer at the sale at 2 p.m. on Friday. There are also heifer and cow-calf pair continuation projects, but you don’t sell those. Those go back home into your herd.”
“Oh yeah, quite a few times actually. Three or four times Grand Champion, and once or twice in the heifer competition.”
“So, it’s a good feeling.”
Events continue throughout the weekend
Amy Sissons, a leader with the Oakville 4-H Club, outlined the full schedule of 4-H events tied to the Portage Ex.
“Well, we start today (Thursday) with our Oakville achievement. It started at one o’clock, and then we go into the Portage achievement at seven o’clock tonight. Our inter-club competition starts tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. That’s where we combine both our clubs, and we compete against one another. And then our sale is at two o’clock on Friday. Then Saturday, we do grooming and we’ll bring our females—our heifers—in for heifer competition as well. So it all winds up Saturday, most of it.”
She adds it wound up Saturday for their 4-H shows, and then there are other shows took place yesterday (Sunday) as well.
Sissons also reflected on what the experience means for her own family.
“My little ones are little. They’re just learning, so it’s all about having fun and getting out there. My youngest is the youngest they can be, and she’s six. So she’s got a little calf in the fair this year. She was here, but she just walked away.”
She extends her thanks to all their sponsors, past buyers, and everybody who helps put on the fair for the kids.
"It’s a great opportunity for them to learn and develop and just get a sense of beef, agriculture, and agriculture in general.”
The Oakville Club has 23 members and the Portage Club has 12.
