Mirjam Kielstra whispered to her Holstein calf, Emilie, before they entered the show ring for the junior showmanship class.
“You’re going to be fine,” said the nine-year-old.
Kielstra was one of nine members of the Sask Valley Dairy 4-H Club competing in junior and intermediate classes at the 27th annual Western Canadian Livestock Expo in Saskatoon April 14-15.
She did not place but learned how to improve for next time.
“My calf wasn’t clipped as well and I wasn’t as good at it. She was a bit nervous. She fell and he (the judge) said I need to work on that, but I think there was a soft spot and she tripped on it,” she said.
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“I’m learning about showing because the judge says stuff about it. It’s great experience.”
Nine-year-old Julianne Laboie, the only club member who does not live on a dairy farm, had to borrow another 4-H calf and won first place in showmanship.
“I just like cattle and animals and I want to be a vet.… We get to skip school and hang out with our friends.”
For Ariana Mulder of Warman, Sask., the show means long days.
After washing and clipping calves starting at 4:30 a.m., she was dressed in white and black and ready for the show by 9 a.m.
Mulder’s mother, Anna, one of the club’s leaders, said there is a lot of tension and stress.
“She slept a 12-hour night because she was dead tired,” she said.
All club members took part in showing Holstein calves this year.
“They’re learning how to clip cows, how to get them ready for the show, which means early in the morning washing the cow, making sure it’s dry again and then clipping. It’s like a hairdresser for a cow. Make sure all the features of the calf are at their best,” said Mulder.
Members are gearing up for the Western Canadian Classic in British Columbia, Mulder said.
“It’s a whole lot of work. Months ahead they have to practise and practise with this calf.… The better they work with the animal, the better the animal guides, the better they do in showmanship, the better the prices they get,” she said.
Mulder was pleased with the club’s results.
“Actually they did well today considering they have strong competition from Alberta. There are really good farms there,” she said.
Sixty-five exhibitors showed 220 animals this year, up from the 60 exhibitors and 180 animals last year.
“There were more juniors this year by far,” said Brenda Sapergia, Prairieland Ag Centre’s livestock manager. “It’s always nice to see the numbers up with the youth because, of course, they’re our producers of tomorrow.”
Youth were also invited to judge the mature cow class.
“I know the committee member that marked the cards said he was amazed at how close they came to the official judge’s results,” said Sapergia.
