What is the difference between cheating and being over-zealous?
In the April 28 issue, we published a story about how U.S. investigators are looking into abuse at 4-H and Future Farmers of America shows. Cosmetic surgery and drugs are used in some cases to give animals the edge in competition. This is clearly cheating.
On the same page, we ran a story about whether such problems exist in Canada.
The story also focused on how Saskatchewan introduced tough new showmanship rules. The rules curb parent involvement in stall maintenance and ringside coaching during shows.
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After being inundated by calls, Deb Hauer of the Saskatchewan 4-H Council, phoned our office to express her concerns with the stories. Should the stories have run together? Was it fair to compare the new showmanship rules to the cheating problem in the U.S.?
The stories were packaged together because both were about 4-H and both related to concerns of giving a competitor an unfair advantage over his or her peers.
This could be cosmetic surgery to boost the value of an animal, or the extra grooming given at the last minute by an anxious parent.
Hauer stressed the issues of mutilation and what is acceptable behavior in parental assistance should not have been connected. She said the showmanship rules weren’t brought in because of concerns of cheating, but to encourage 4-H members to prepare their own animals as much as possible.
The stories were not meant to accuse Canadian 4-Hers of cheating, but to show how measures are being taken now — at the earliest stages of unfair advantage — to prevent the extremes seen in the U.S.
Instead of being tarnished by the stories, 4-H clubs should be proud of what they’re doing to show their continued commitment to teaching young Canadians.
