Smell that? Yes, it’s summer, and that means manure – but in the midst of that manure, you’ll find cattle. That means the return of the 4-H Dairy Show at the Grand River Raceway, where the 4-H Club’s young members will once again show off their skill with a cow to judges and the public.
![4-H Club member Meghan Martin halters her bovine friend “Hidden Spring Sanchez Sinder” for the annual dairy show.[will sloan / the observer]](https://www.observerxtra.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Post_4-H.jpg)
“Kids will learn something about the handling of animals, but they’re going to have fun as well. They’re going to see a great day,” said John Drummond, volunteer with 4-H Ontario.
First up at the Saturday event is the showmanship competition, in which 4-H members will bring their prized cattle to be judged on appearance, and how well they can be kept controlled. In the afternoon beginning at 12:30 p.m., the Open Show portion will allow any kid from any county to show off their calves to the general public.
There will also be a novice class open to anyone under age 9 (as of January 1) with a dairy heifer born after March 1, 2013. All of this is in keeping with the club’s mandate to educate youth on the ins and outs of agriculture. Drummond has been a leader at 4-H for 28 years, beginning when he was 22 (we promised him we wouldn’t do the math), and has felt the value of the programs firsthand.
“I love working with youth, and I love working with youth programs,” he said. “I grew up in the 4-H program, so I’m very familiar with it.
“It absolutely teaches leadership and life skills. It’s a wonderful way to make friends, and a wonderful development program.”
This marks the 15th annual installment of the dairy show, which kicked off in 1999 at the Elmira Fair before moving to Elora’s Grand River Raceway (7445 County Road 21) in 2003. Over that time, the event has evolved, notes Drummond.
“I think it’s certainly gotten better,” he said. “The quality of competitors has improved, and we’ve seen kids from all over southwestern Ontario come for it, and we get a good representation. Kids come now from as far south as Niagara County and as far north as Bruce and Grey counties.”
As for the Grand River Raceway, Drummond is equally effusive. “I can’t say enough nice about them. They definitely support youth and agriculture, and this falls into that mandate.”
You can judge for yourself come August 17, when the cows will be viewable to the public at 12:30 p.m. 4-H members interested in participating in the competition can contact Drummond at 519-648-3453 or john.drummond@hotmail.ca. More information on 4-H and the Dairy Show can be found at 4-Hontario.ca. Prize money ranges from $30 for first-place and $10 for sixth to tenth.
