Jeremy Andrew has a lot more experience showing cattle than judging them.
But the 13 year old from rural Regina turned out to be a good judge of feeder steers, winning the intermediate class in the commercial cattle youth judging competition at Canadian Western Agribition.
“I’ve been showing cattle since I was three,” he said.
He doesn’t remember much about that first show, except that it was a pen of five cattle.
“I’ve shown every year since.”
Andrew is his family’s third generation to participate in Agribition, following his grandfather Barry and father Reed who are both longtime exhibitors and volunteers.
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He said that’s just what the family does.
He was among more than 40 competitors who entered the youth competition this year. Agribition expanded its focus on youth events and the commercial cattle judging was designed to help young people learn to assess large groups of cattle.
The competitors attended a judging seminar with judge Jim Henderson of Del Bonita, Alta., and then judged the feeder steer class.
The winners were determined by comparing their results and reasoning with Henderson’s decisions.
Andrew said he has judged through 4-H and is a member of the Valley View 4-H club in the Craven and Lumsden area near Regina.
When asked what he looks for as a judge, he listed uniformity, build and colours.
“I like Black Angus and Maines,” he said. “They have a shine and attractiveness that catches your eye more.”
Reed Andrew said he had taken his son to Saskatoon a week earlier, where Reed judged the commercial show at Fall Fair.
“Now I can take him with me to help,” he added.
The other winners were Adam Smith of Kincardine, Ont., in the junior category and Maureen Kokoski of Foam Lake, Sask., in the senior division.
