More than 83 young dairy producers competed in more than 30 individual and team competitions and cattle classes
Saskatoon’s Prairieland Park Ag Centre was transformed into a big top for the 37th annual Western Canadian Classic youth dairy show, affectionately called the Cirque Moo Soleil for the circus-themed event.
More than 83 young dairy farmers competed in about 30 individual and team competitions and cattle classes, showing their presentation skills and knowledge of their animals and the dairy industry.
WCC chair Nancy Friesen said doing well all starts with enjoying the work you’re doing.
“When you can make it a competition, whether you’re learning about animals and taking care of them and doing it with people that you care about, it’s good,” she said.
Saskatchewan’s Ethan Neinhuis was selected as the grand champion showman and senior showmanship winner. As well, he won the top high points award and was named top overall senior judge, the second year in a row for him in both categories.
Every year’s high points winner is sent to the next year’s European Young Breeders School as part of Team Canada. The last few weeks of August will be busy for Neinhuis as he prepares for the European competition.
Winning the titles two years in a row is proof of his skill, he said, since the first-place win last year felt like a bit of a fluke.
“I wasn’t first in any single category (last year), but was the most consistent throughout the week winning me the highest point award. In comparison to this year, clipping was the only thing I didn’t win, along with the quiz, although I was tied for first only becoming third through tiebreakers.”
The high level of friendly competition has pushed him in the right direction, he said, and he will try to become the first ever three-peat high points winner at next year’s competition.
Teams were also judged as a group in some areas. Team Manitoba took home the top team in the herdsman category while Team British Columbia took home the overall team prize, an honour it has won 10 times in the last 18 competitions. Saskatchewan placed second in both categories.
Learning how to critically look at an animal, find their strengths and their flaws, and efficiently present those findings was also an important part of the show, said Friesen.
Participants were judging heifers, Holsteins and Jerseys with points for their placement and reasoning placed in an overall score.
This was something Jordan Vaandrager experienced as a member of WCC Team Saskatchewan long before coming in as this year’s clipping judge. He now attends some of the biggest cattle shows as a member of R & F Livestock.
Looking at a new generation of dairy producers, Vaandrager sees a lot of promising talent. He was especially surprised by this year’s junior participants, ages 14 and under.
“They did a really nice job clipping…. It’s kind of tricky with their clipping calves that aren’t really trained or have good temperament.”
Next year’s WCC show will be hosted by Team B.C. in Armstrong.
