July

July 6, 2013

Happy Birthday, USA!

After I lost--upon their family's decison to move--my young charges who were working with cattle, I was blessed to find another family whose two 14-year-old granddaughters wanted to try their hand with learning to gentle and work with and show my Dexters.  We began our push for the Braymer Livestock Show immediately as I had learned that the entrants could be anyone under 21, whether or not they were in 4-H or FFA.  We decided to show sheep too.

We are just back from that show!  I will post a bunch of pictures. As some of the pictures show, OTHER kids had significant family help and backing.  Katy and Sarah did amazingly well, considering that I am new to showing and their grandparents attended their first show at this Braymer one!!!  We adults helped out as we could but the girls were doing so much on their own.  Another nice thing is that E.P. (of first sheep-showing last Labor Day!) and his sister picked up the slack when Sarah took a break from the cattle-showing work.  So, many thanks to them as well!  And for our preparation, thanks to Philip Martin (a lesson on showing given by phone) and Kimberly B and son who came over and gave a hands-on lesson also!

Waiting for 1st time in ring...

Lookin' good!--you seem to know what you're doing!

Champion Bull drive--Sarah & ZeMizjEF are at the far right

 

E.P. helps out with heifers--I hope not embarrassed because he had no practice or information.

Champion Heifer drive--Katy with Xangwen, red Dexter

Again, in the ring with teens experienced in showing and adults helping youngsters, the girls held their own and "carried it off."

Waiting was a big part of the day.  Showmanship ended the species competitions, so we waited for that part and the teens in our team could choose which animal to go in the ring with.  Katy chose ZeMizjEF and E.P. showed Xangwen.  I thought both showed a good bit of presence and had learned a great deal in their few times in the ring and observations of other showmen!

After waiting through goats, Katy showed Xen, Babydoll ram.

Champion Ram drive

Sweet girls with sweet little ewe lambs--more relaxed by the end of the day?