On Sunday the Shawville arena was filled with the sounds of livestock as the Shawville 4-H Club held its annual achievement day.
Club Leader Amanda Tracy explained that the competition is a prerequisite for competing at the Shawville Fair, and is a stepping stone for other shows.
“A lot of them, if they want to go to provincial level and national level, they need points so they need to go to shows.”
She said that while the club has around 80 members, there were about 50 competing.
The final competition of the weekend was the Overall Showmanship category, where the champions of each division moved around the arena in a circuit, demonstrating their skill at showing a wide variety of animals, from lambs, to different cattle breeds, and even bunnies.
Tracy said that one of the best parts of the day is seeing the kids help each other with the finer points of showing animals that they’re more familiar with.
“It’s quite a learning experience,” she said. “The members that show more projects definitely have better results usually, because they have experience with each one.”
Over at the rabbit table, judge Lorraine Hamilton quizzed the young competitors on their bunny knowledge and showmanship skills. Hamilton, who owns the rescue Barr Line Bunnies in Cobden, Ont. has been involved in 4-H for years and said that the smaller animals can be a challenge to handle as well.
“For showing rabbits for 4-H, the main thing is, handle, handle, handle the rabbit a lot,” she said. “Turn it over, pick it up, it has to be really comfortable with its feet off the ground, which rabbits don’t like. They really need to get comfortable being handled by the person so that they’re not trying to kick or jump away. “
Lyric McIntyre was named Supreme Champion Showperson for the second year in a row, and Molly Dowe was named Reserve Champion Showperson.
McIntyre, 17, said that she has been competing in a number of 4-H divisions for many years and has improved her skillset by seeking advice from judges and other competitors.
“I just think I have a lot of practice between them and my abilities and skills have grown over the years,” she said.
Dowe, 15, said that while she has some Overall Showmanship experience, she primarily shows dairy cattle and rabbits.
“I’ve done Overall Showmanship before, so I know to an extent how to show the projects but I’m not an expert,” she said.
Both said that their favourite part of 4-H is the friendships that they’ve developed through the club.
The results from the individual classes were as follows:
Dairy
Grand Champion Dairy Heifer : Mackenzie St-Pierre
Reserve Champion Dairy Heifer : Khloë Drummond
Grand Champion Overall Dairy Showperson: Myanna Sally
Reserve Champion Overall Dairy Showperson: Mackenzie St-Pierre
Rabbit
Grand Champion: Maple Shea
Reserve Champion: Gavin Tracy
Grand Champion Showperson: Molly Dowe
Reserve Champion Showperson: Gavin Tracy
Market Lamb
Grand Champion: Bria Pieschke
Reserve Champion: William Stephens
Grand Champion Showperson: Bria Pieschke
Reserve Champion Showperson: Lyric McIntyre
Breeding Ewe Lamb
Grand Champion: Lyric McIntyre
Reserve Champion: Bria Pieschke
Grand Champion Showperson: Lyric McIntyre
Reserve Champion Showperson: Bria Pieschke
Goats
Grand Champion: Grace Kelly
Reserve Champion: Khloë Drummond
Grand Champion Showperson: Khloë Drummond
Reserve Champion Showperson: Grace Kelly
Market Goat
Grand Champion Showperson: Graham Vereyken
Grand Champion: Graham Vereyken
Beef
Grand Champion Beef Heifer: Kinsley Driscoll
Reserve Champion Beef Heifer: Brooklyn Lafleur
Grand Champion Showperson: Brooklyn Lafleur
Reserve Champion Showperson: Amy Sheppard
Market Steer
Grand Champion: Payton St-Pierre
Reserve Champion: Ben Judd
Grand champion Showperson: Brynn Currie
Reserve Champion Showperson: Kinsley Driscoll
Life Skills
Grand Champion: Molly Dowe
Reserve Champion: Bria Pieschke
Light Horse
Grand Champion: Josiah Laporte
Reserve Champion: Grace Pasch
Grand Champion Showperson: Olivia Edge
Reserve champion Showperson: Grace Pasch
Mini Horse
Grand Champion: Lyric McIntyre
Reserve Champion: Noah Laporte
Grand Champion Showperson: Lyric McIntyre
Reserve Champion Showperson: Abigail Laporte
