Sept. 20 — 4-H for life

4-H members who show livestock at The Fair love their animals

Roxanne Cooke / of the Herald

In a sawdust-filled arena at The Puyallup Fair, several 4-H members showed off their cows at a beef fitting event last weekend.

Rachel Lewis was first in line for the junior level. The 9-year-old from Enumclaw displayed and led her 9-month-old black calf, Missy, around the pen to demonstrate her control of the animal.

Lewis and other participants used a pole to nudge cows’ legs back so that they were square and rubbed their bellies with the same sticks to keep them calm.

The judge talked to each competitor, asking questions and observing both animal and 4-H-er. He intervened only when one participant’s cow head-butted another and knocked it over.

Lewis took fourth. She said she was proud of her ribbon – preparing her calf took weeks of hard work and this is only her second show.

“I love it,” she said. “I think it’s really fun.”

Her father said his daughter is charting her own course, and it was mainly her idea to get involved in 4-H.

“I’m very proud of her,” said Keith Lewis. “She’s been on her own. She’s 75 pounds and the cow’s 700.”

For Lewis and several other 4-H members, spending time with the animals and making new friends is what keeps them interested in 4-H, a community of young people who learn leadership and other life skills through livestock competitions and other activities.

Shelby Burrus of Puyallup carries a case of “Uno” cards in her calf equipment box to play with her 4-H friends before shows, her mother said.

Burrus, who entered her 5-month-old calf Cookie into the beef fitting show, is in her fifth year of 4-H. She’s 10 years old.

She enjoys being involved with other animals and making friends with other 4-H-ers, she said.

It takes a lot of effort – sometimes she spends entire days out with her calf – but it’s worth it for the fun.

In the barn next to the beef fitting show area, 4-H goats bleated in pens near their human counterparts, who were taking a break from a goat show.

Abigail Russell, 13, brought three goats to the Fair: Anne, Sprocket and Flash.

This is Russell’s fourth year in 4-H and she said she enjoys everything about it, especially meeting new people.

Her mother, Gail Russell, spoke highly of the 4-H program. Children gain experience in so many different areas, and she’s seen many who carry those life skills into adulthood. Plus, children aren’t competitive in a negative way; they often feel that they won if a friend has won a show.

“It’s a wonderful program,” she said.

While parents aren’t allowed to help out, they still provide encouragement to their 4-H children, who are proud of their wins but more proud of the friends they’ve made and kept over the years.

“We’re just here to support ‘em and feed ‘em,” Russell said.

Reach Reporter Roxanne Cooke at 253-841-2481 ext. 314 or by e-mail at roxanne.cooke@puyallupherald.com.