If you have attended a recent 4H event and wish to write about it for this page, please use our contact form to send us your article.

Spring Youth Fair 2008

The first weekend in May was a busy one for Spokes 4-H members and their families.  Friday night everybody hauled their animals into the Southwest Washinton Fairgrounds.  Laura and Lisa brought their packgoats Triangle and Finn.  Zach, Teague, Liam and Bethany brought two packgoats (Huck and Jasper) and one dairy goat (Crystal).  Jessie brought two alpacas and Addy brought her horse Lightning.  After getting all the animals settled into their pens everybody headed home for a good night’s sleep before the shows on Saturday.

 Saturday morning everybody had to be at the fairgrounds early to get their animals fed and pens cleaned before the fair opened.  It’s always kind of neat to be at the fair so early in the morning before all the visitors start arriving.  Once all their morning chores were done it was time to get ready for showing!

Addy’s day was spent doing a horse clinic with her horse.  They learned how to do showmanship and English Equitation.  Addy was very nervous as this was her first time taking Lightning to fair but they did great!  Jessie had some alpaca shows, we will have to find out how she did!  The goat barn was a busy place for our club.  Little Bethany showed in her first show Saturday morning.  She showed her goat Crystal in the dairy fitting and showing show.  She did really good and had a beautiful smile for the judge.  She and the other little boy were so cute that the judge gave them both first place.  After that it was a mad rush to get all the packgoats ready for their fitting and showing show.  Zach and Jennifer taught Laura, Lisa, Teague and Liam all the tricks for getting their goats fitted out.  Then it was time for their show.  First the judge checked out all the goats to see how clean they were, then it was on with packs and outside for the obstacle course.  It was a very realistic course with trees, a water obstacle, wildlife noises and many other challenges.  The children all did a great job and got blue ribbons and Lisa with her goat Finn got Reserve Grand Champion!  Everyone was very tired by the end of the day but what a great day!

Sunday it all started all over again.  Addy had her real shows and was much less nervous than she had been the day before.  She and Lightning got a blue ribbon in showmanship and a red ribbon in English Equitation.  A very good placing for her first show.  Jessie had some more alpaca shows including an agility course.  We still need to find out how she did!  The goat people were showing their animals in type on Sunday.  Again Bethany was showing Crystal in dairy.  Crystal was being a bit naughty and dragging Bethany around the show ring but Bethany kept a smile on her face and kept dragging that goat back into place!  Everyone else’s goats behaved much better and Laura took first place with her goat Triangle in his age group.

After everyone was done showing for the day we had a little time to look around the fair and then it was time to start packing up.  All in all it was a great fair and the children are all looking forward to Thurston County Fair this summer.