REGINA — Learning proper grooming techniques and animal care for a big event like Canadian Western Agribition is a life-long tutorial for nine-year-old Kriselly Webber.
The cattle business is a big part of her world at Midale, Sask., where she lives with her parents, Kelly and Kristy, and 13-year-old sister Ashtyn.
Webber was involved with 4-H and the junior Hereford program before she started school and has gained considerable knowledge working with cattle and the public. A natural in the show ring, she has gained enough skill that she was named grand champion junior showman at Agribition.
The youngster is full of confidence and charm and admits she likes to win, especially when the competition looks tough and the other competitors are older.
“I feel proud of myself because I beat them,” she said.
Webber has won numerous showmanship events, in which young people are judged on their ability to present an animal before a judge. Showmanship is more than just parading animals. It provides an opportunity to develop leadership and communication skills and gain an appreciation about livestock, their care and life cycles.
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“I like grooming and showing, but the most part I like is working with them because we raise them and they have calves every year,” she said.
Her family has 65 Hereford and Charolais cows, but she admits she favours the red and white faced Herefords and hopes to be a rancher one day. She has her own herd of five.
She did not have time to rest on her laurels during Agribition. Everybody pulls on their overalls and shares the work when show and sale days roll around. Her mother and sister wash the cattle while she and her father groom them.
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