An aura of grace, kindness, professionalism and good showmanship permeated the whole of the 71st Hampden County 4-H and Youth Fair on July 27 in the Eastern States Exposition Mallary Complex in West Springfield, MA.
“They’re slick, they’re shiny, but showmanship is more than just a pretty pair of steers,” said Judge Mike Austin of Belchertown, MA, as he awarded his results in the working oxen Cloverbud Class.
“There’s showmanship right there,” he said, as the winner, Wyatt Inman of Heath with his pair of Brown Swiss, turned to his right and shook the hand of the second-place winner, Jameson Fournier of Westhampton, with his Jerseys. Inman stepped further over, still holding his oxen, and shook the hand of Brooke Bisbee of Chesterfield, the third-place winner with her Chianina x Brown Swiss crosses.
In another section of the complex, during the dairy show Cloverbud Showmanship division, older exhibitors guided or held the hands of much younger exhibitors who led their cows in a circle. Kaleigh Rida of Worthington, MA, held the lead rope of an Ayrshire, walking alongside three-year-old Nora Rida. When the Ayrshire unexpectedly took either a hard nudge or a nip at Nora’s back, Nora whipped around in surprise, shying away, but came back in the end to resume her place, encouraged by the hands of her fellow competitors.
Showing their Milking Shorthorn were cousins Dakotalyn Phelon, 17, and Brody Frenier, 3.
The Cloverbud Showmanship Class at the 71st Hampden County 4-H and Youth Fair on July 27 in West Springfield, MA. Photos by Laura Rodley
Judge Mikaela Schneider knelt down to question the younger exhibitors about their charges, face to face, one at a time. Afterward, Schneider said she has been showing cattle since she was a kid.
Rauri Phelon, 16, of Prospect Valley Farm in Westfield, MA, was readying her Milking Shorthorn, Roulade, for showing in the Fall Yearling class. “I’ve been taking care of her since I was five,” she said.
Over in the goat arena, brothers Gabriel, 7, and Christopher Davis, 5, were showing their four-month-old Saanens in the Cloverbud Showmanship Class. This was their fourth show, said their mother Sarah Davis, as the brothers answered questions asked by Judge Randy Brown, who also knelt down at times to speak to the competitors.
The brothers just started showing goats this year. “They have raised them since the day they were born,” said Sarah. The goats were born at the family’s Oak Hollow Livestock, a farm in Shelburne, MA, where the family raises goats, rabbits, poultry and Maremma sheepdogs.
“They have done really well. They love it. They are learning about anatomy and how to take care of their goats,” said Sarah.
The other exhibitor in this Cloverbud class was Lavender Lieber, 6, with her Alpine named Pink Pansy. It was also her first year showing. The three competitors were each awarded a green ribbon by the judge.
Lavender said, “I like it that my goat follows me and when I stop, she stops. When I go fast, she goes fast; she goes the same speed as me.”
Her family owns Levanah Farm in East Longmeadow, MA, where they raise Alpines, French Angora rabbits, Welsh Harlequin ducks and other animals as well as English shepherd dogs.
In the sheep arena, long-time exhibitor Connor Priest earned first place with his Shropshire in the Senior Showmanship division. Kay Farrington came in second with her Border Leicester. Daniel Epe placed third with a market lamb.
Sheep Judge Kaitlyn Landers said that among the qualities for which she awarded Priest first place were “good eye contact, and he was very confident.”
There were 31 sheep being shown altogether, representing seven breeds.
In extremely good humor were the police dog handlers from several area departments with their Golden Retrievers and Labradors. According to Carol Leckie, president of the Hampden County 4-H and Youth Fair Association, they entered a “Fun Class,” where the dogs responded to obedience commands in a command-and-out class. They also received ribbons.
Carson Bisbee of Chesterfield with his oxen Taco and Loki at the 71st Hampden County 4-H and Youth Fair.
The day began with a “Fun Run” race, featured a beef show, a model horse show, a pedal tractor show, a fashion review, a lead line and wool competition, a bottle rocket launch, a Pedal Thru Youth Bike Rodeo and more.
There was the rare treat of seeing Carson Bisbee of Chesterfield, MA, guide his oxen Taco and Loki, six-year-old Belgian Blue x Milking Shorthorn crosses, through an impossibly narrow metal gate as part of an obstacle course. He did it by saying their names over and over, with patience and fortitude. As with the majority of all the other exhibitors, it was a chance to see greatness in the making.
For more information about the 4-H Fair access hampdencounty4hyouthfair.org.
by Laura Rodley
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