Why We Should all Go to our Local Fairs

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Western Montana Fair!

August 7^th-12^th at the Western Montana Fair Grounds….gate admission is FREE!

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It is that time of year again when Autumn (the gal who holds our office and a lot of our client associations together) disappears for a week to play with sheep and cows while her children work their tails off at the Western Montana Fair.  I can hear her sharp witted “ha” response to that line and she isn’t even here with me today.

Okay, if you know anything about being a parent to 4H children you know there really isn’t much playing involved – but she will tell you, witnessing her girls’ year worth of hard work pay-off is something she would never miss.  Even if it has developed into a second job and means hours of her life she can never have back herding lambs (a story that had me in stitches at our last office meeting), ensuring prize cows don’t get the bloat while Isabell is at another show, driving all over the intermountain west participating in jackpot shows, driving 22 hours to Madison (Wisconsin) for Shorthorn Nationals in late June, spending a week every August at the Western Montana Fair and concluding the season down in Billings (MT) in October for the much anticipated (and quite big deal) Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE).

Whew, I am exhausted and I only listen to Autumn’s stories and visit the fair where the only rounding up I have to do is to make sure my twins don’t step on a cow pie or get spit on by the llamas which would ultimately culminate in the mother of all breakdowns and livestock nervously pacing in their tight quarters making their young handlers a little weary after an already long day.

We are throwing it back to one of Autumn’s blogs published on our sister site, meetingsnorthwest.com, where she explains the yearlong adventure that has developed her oldest daughter, Isabell, into a motivated hardworking teenager with the career goal to be a veterinarian.  Honestly, it is amazing what these kids do and is under appreciated. These kids deserve a whole lot of respect for the hard work they put in.  One can only hope their child finds something they love that teaches them so much about real life before they graduate from high school.  My favorite line and the reason we should all support our local fairs:

“They are turning into future leaders and team players.  They are learning to be dedicated, compassionate, and competitive but also how to remain humble.”

5 Cattle….4 Sheep – 4-H Livestock

Autumn Gilleard | August 9, 2016

I know it is completely off subject and has nothing to do with meeting planning or administrative support.  However, it is something my family does 365 days out of the year.  We start in September with halter breaking the cattle. Then in April, it’s the lambs and calves turn.  Then we finish up the season in August at our county fair.  We then use the sale proceeds to fund the next 4-H season.

Three years ago when my eldest daughter asked if she could do 4-H, not in a million years did I think I would spend my summers hauling animals and kiddos across the state of Montana and Washington so they could participate in jackpot shows topping it off with a week at the county fair.  Nor did I anticipate or expect the life lessons that would be learned in the barn.  But through the many tears cried, early mornings, late nights, the cloud of dust kicked up out of frustration, voices raised, ribbons won, buckets of mistakes, and win or lose, hands were shook.  They are turning into future leaders and team players.  They are learning to be dedicated, compassionate, and competitive but also how to remain humble.  It’s the lessons learned of the true meaning of honest, hard work and that winning isn’t everything that keep us going back for more year after year.

This year Isabell, 14, (above) will show three sheep and four cattle. She will sell her steer.  Harley, 9, (left) will show and sell a lamb.

Enjoy Autumn’s Blog and photos here: meetingsnorthwest.com/5-cattle-4-sheep-4-h-livestock/

This year

This year, Isabell, age 16, show string consists of a NILE Merit heifer, 2 shorthorn heifers, a ewe, a ram and a market steer she will sell at the Western Montana Fair.  Harley, age 10, show string consists of a heifer, ewe, and a market lamb that will also sell at the Western Montana Fair. 

Come and join us August 7^th-12^th at the Western Montana Fair….gate admission is FREE!

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