ATHABASCA – It was a long and challenging day for everyone June 5, when members of the four 4-H groups in the region gathered at the Iceberg Arena outside of Colinton for their annual Beef and Sheep Achievement Day.
The four clubs — Athabasca, Boyle, Colinton, and Thunderin’ Hooves — started arriving early in the morning and stayed until the conclusion of the auction just after 6 p.m., which made for a long day with more than a few frustrating moments for kids whose cattle weren’t listening.
“By the end of the day, these kids are just exhausted, but they all have a smile on their faces, and they’re happy, and to me it’s just amazing.” said Robyn Jackson, who oversees the four clubs and also helps run Boyle’s chapter. “This show is what the members look forward to all year.”
At the start of the day, members arrived with their cattle and stabled in the arena, which is donated by the owners Carrie and Mike Duncan. They tended to the cattle throughout the day, which starts with the heifers, followed by cow and calf pairs, and then finished with the main event, steers.
Members first showcased their projects with their peers from the same club, before the top two from each club were judged against the best from the other three groups.
This year, Boyle 4-H Beef Club member Mark Splane, 13, raised the Interclub Grand Champion Market Steer, which weighed in at 1384 pounds and sold to the Boyle Buy-Low Foods at $5 a pound, for a total of $6,920.
“I think my favorite part of the year was leading the steer around when everyone was bidding on it. One thing that kept me motivated was how well my calf has been working with me this year,” said Splane.
Working with the animals can sometimes be a frustrating experience. After all, cattle are known for being stubborn, and the creatures oftentimes weigh as much as ten times that of the kids that are raising them.
“You just have to take a deep breath and calm down. Your calf can almost tell when you’re mad at it, so when you’re tense, the calf also gets a bit tense. You just need to let it do its thing,” said Delaney Kamelchuk, 15, who struggled with her heifer early in the day, but still managed to receive the Interclub Reserve Grand Champion award with the calf.
Despite the competitive nature of the showcase, teamwork and friendship are still on display; whether it was a Boyle club member filling in for an injured friend from Athabasca, or sisters trading off a steer in between events after one of their steers had been put in a time out, everyone worked together throughout the day.
“Sometimes you need other people to help you, or to help calm your calf. Maybe a friend steps in and takes the calf from you so you can breathe and do your thing,” said Kamelchuk.
Awards
Interclub Grand Champion Market Steer – Mark Splane – Boyle 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer – Hadassah Epp – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Grand Champion Heifer – Oakley Stewart – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Heifer – Delaney Kamelchuk – Colinton 4-H Multi Club
Interclub Grand Champion Cow/Calf – Delaney Kamelchuk – Colinton 4-H Multi Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Cow/Calf – Carl Olson – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Grand Champion Overall Female – Delaney Kamelchuk – Colinton 4-H Multi Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Overall Female – Carl Olson – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Grand Champion Senior Grooming – Ben Wilkinson – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Senior Grooming – Marissa Yowney – Thunderin’ Hooves 4-H Multi Club
Interclub Grand Champion Senior Showmanship – Amelya Schaub – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Senior Showmanship – Avery Kamelchuk – Colinton 4-H Multi Club
Interclub Grand Champion Intermediate Grooming – Nora Breckenridge – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Intermediate Grooming – Carl Olson – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Grand Champion Intermediate Showmanship – Delaney Kamelchuk – Colinton 4-H Multi Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Intermediate Showmanship – Nora Breckenridge – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Grand Champion Junior Grooming – Emerson Bowzaylo – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Junior Grooming – Raizalyn Turner – Boyle 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Grand Champion Junior Showmanship – Emerson Bowzaylo – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
Interclub Reserve Grand Champion Junior Showmanship – Connor Padelwski – Athabasca 4-H Beef Club
