By Mike Isbell
University of Georgia
“I really messed up,” said 13-year-old Levi George, a Heard
County 4-H Club member, at the conclusion of the cattle show.
Levi had two registered Angus heifers. They were both in the same
class at the show, which meant Levi had two show calves competing
against each other. But he couldn’t show both calves at the same
time in the show ring.
So he talked his 10-year-old brother Luke into showing the second
heifer for him.
The heifer Luke showed won first place in the class and $30. Luke
showed it again in the division final and won “Grand Champion
Angus” and $50. Finally, Luke and the heifer went on to win
“Supreme Champion,” making it the top heifer at the show and
winning another $150.
‘I really messed up’
“Man, I really messed up,” Levi repeated to himself.
“Well, what’s the matter?” I asked him. “Your heifer won the
whole show. So what did you mess up about?”
Levi shook his head in dismay and replied, “I promised Luke if
he’d show my calf for me, he could have all the prize money the
calf won!”
$230 in prize money may sound like a lot to a 13-year-old, but
the value is not in the prize money. It’s in what the junior
livestock project teaches.
Bill Hodge, the University of Georgia Extension agent in Carroll
County, said most youth livestock projects aren’t economically
sound. But then, raising kids isn’t economically sound, either.
Livestock lessons
Livestock projects teach kids to get along with each other and
respect each other. You should see how they all pitch in and help
each other out — even if it means helping the competition.
They know that getting beat is just a part of growing up. And
their time to win will come. Even if it’s not in the show ring.
Livestock projects teach responsibility. They teach kids to
faithfully provide for the animals in their care. Training their
animals for the show teaches them the value of consistency and
persistence.
And the fact that the kids have to look after another living
creature teaches them that we, as humans, are responsible for
this world we live in. They learn to be good stewards of the
earth.
They learn the kinds of things that will help keep this a nice
place to live for their kids.
