Positive changes prompt 4-H show and sale success

By Adelle Ellis, Times Reporter

The Rockyford Arena, which usually boasts a clean white ice surface and the sounds of skates, pucks and rings echoing off the walls, was traded in for cowboy boots, crisp shirts, and the barnyard sounds and smells of steers and sheep as 61 eager 4-H members showed off their livestock projects during the West Wheatland 4-H Show and Sale on June 6.
4-H members from the Standard Sheep Club, Rockyford Beef Club, and Cheadle Sheep and Beef Clubs showed their projects in several competitions before taking to the sales ring to auction their animals off to the highest bidder.
“I really like selling my sheep and training him. I’ve learned how to raise my sheep and how the auction works and how bidding works,” said Stella D’Argent from the Standard 4-H Sheep Club, who wants to be either a vet or a farmer when she grows up.
This year was the first year the show and sale was held on a weekday instead of during the weekend. The change was prompted by a need for more bidders during the sale following a large number drop last year with lower than average bid prices.
Along with changing the day of the sale, 4-H members were encouraged to personally hand out buyer’s letters and to visit past and potential new buyers before the sale, which resulted in full stands and in some places, standing room only. In general, bids were higher this year compared to 2017, with sheep averaging about $3.50/lb over market price and steers averaging approximately $1.20/lb over market price.
4-H Alberta encourages youth to learn through active participation of projects, programs and community service and to “learn to do by doing,” while also striving to educate youth to become leaders and engaged citizens while still honouring their rural roots through teaching members to recognize the importance of food and agriculture in Alberta.
The 4-H mission was evident at the West Wheatland 4-H Show and Sale as young members cared for their animals, spent time with them, bathed and trained them to lead on a halter. At the show, the members were judged on showmanship and grooming, and the animal was judged for either food or breeding purposes, depending which programs the animals were registered in, before selling to bidders.
The supreme grand champion steer was awarded to Lucia Dahm of the Rockyford Beef Club and was purchased during the auction by Western Chevrolet Drumheller. The supreme grand champion lamb was awarded to Daniel Jensen of the Standard Sheep Club and was purchased by Strathmore Motor Products. Micayla Kooistra of the Cheadle Beef Club won the supreme reserve champion steer which was purchased by Gold Key Insurance. Dakota Koester of the Standard Sheep Club won the supreme reserve champion lamb which was purchased by Richard Ranching.
“We want to make sure this continues,” said Doug Lubinski, general manager of Western Chevrolet Drumheller. “We’ve been doing this since the mid ’80s … this is our third (4-H) auction this week and we just want to keep coming out and supporting the kids and making sure events like this continue.”