4-H clubs in Phillips County show animals at 100th Fair

The 100th Annual Phillips County Fair was presented with a plethora of fine an-imals from the Phillips County 4-H Clubs.

Though there were many students and livestock animals that stood out, none stood-out as much as this year's stock of market champions and reserve champions who were: Reserve Champion Market Lamb raised by Danie Rhodes was purchased by Jones Brothers Hay for $6.00 a pound; Reserve Champion Market Swine raised by Carson Ottinger was purchased by Triangle Telephone for $6.00 a pound; The Grand Champion Market Beef raised by Channing Mavencamp was purchased by The First State Bank of Malta for $6.00 a pound; and the Reserve Champion Market Beef raised by Markelle Lett was purchased by Milk River Honey for $4.75 a pound.

Mavencamp, who is this year's Grand Champion in beef, showed his steer named "Hot Beef," with poise and control. Mavencamp swept the beef showing after also taking Grand Champion in Senior Beef Showmanship hours earlier last Friday.

"It feels good," Mavencamp told the PCN. "The time that I spent practicing with him to do this was well worth it."

Nearly every day this summer Mavencamp spent a half hour each day prepping Hot Beef for the show.

"We got him last fall," Mavencamp said.

Mavencamp and his crew worked throughout the day preparing Hot Beef, by feeding, watering and conditioning the steer for presentation. At one point the crew even thought they overdid it, when Hot Beef's coat failed to show the same volume it did during the showmanship round. As it woult turn out, it didn't matter.

"I've done it enough that it is what it is," Mavencamp said. "The (prep work) isn't going to change the animal. It's the judges' choice and marketer."

He went on to say that in showmanship it was the way he handled the steer and groomed him but in market it was simply the judges' preference.

"You can't change a steer after it's there," Mavencamp said.

Throughout the event Mavencamp showed that he knew his steer really well.

"He's been a pretty tame calf," Mavencamp said.

Mavencamp was more than proud of his steer because with so many quality steer in the show Hot Beef stood out above the rest.

"It makes me feel like our herd is up there in quality," Mavencamp said. "It's not at the bottom and not just about the hamburger. Meaning, they can be more than just butcher animals."

On Friday, Mavencamp also showed the Grand Champion Market Swine in the senior division and took home second in showmanship. He was uncertain of which was his favorite animal to show.

"It's kind of a toss of between pig and steer," Mavencamp said. "It depends on the day and depends on what animal I'm showing."

Mavencamp is a junior at Saco High School and has been playing basketball for the past few years as a Saco-Whitewater Panther. Between basketball and raising/ showing livestock he said he preferred ranching.

"I like being outside and working with animals because being raised on a farm, it's comes naturally," Mavencamp said.

With one more year of 4-H in front of him, he shared what the club has taught him in nine years.

"Leadership and respect for other people are probably the two biggest things," he said. "It's taught me a lot more about animals than I knew before."

Though he plans on working with animals well after high school, when asked if he would ever consider rodeo events, he responded, "I don't rodeo. It's fun to watch, but I wouldn't like to do it."

Another 4-H senior, Keira Simonson has embraced the rodeo lifestyle and has shined for many years in the sport.

Simonson plans on attending the University of Montana in Missoula on a rodeo scholarship.

"I'm really nervous for the classes to start," Simonson said "I'm excited to meet new people and start life on my own."

Simonson has done all of the rodeo events in high school rodeo and Boots and Saddles, but the one event she will definitely participate in is barrel racing, an event that she and her older sister Kiana Simonson are well known for.

In addition to barrel racing, Keira plans on breakaway roping.

"I'm still getting into that after I broke my arm so I can have two events for college rodeo," Simonson said.

She shared what it takes to have a good run in showmanship events.

"Make sure you're set up at all times and smiling pretty and make him look good," Simonson said.

She proudly showed her steer named "Benny" after the popular Elton John song Benny and the Jets.

"My brother named him," she said with a smile.

The 4-H show marked the last event of her high school career and Simonson shared what 4-H has taught her.

"It's made me have responsibilities, like taking care of animals, teaching me leadership and preparing me for things I need to do on my own," Simonson said.

As for her favorite animal to show, her answer came as a bit of a surprise.

"I don't mind showing a steer, but I would rather be showing a pig," Simonson said. "This (showing beef) requires a lot more work and time. You have to lead them and break them.

"With a pig, you can mess with them. But you don't have to mess with them so much because you don't have to teach them how to lead," she continued.

SWINE SALE

One day prior to the Beef Show, pigs took over the same enclosure. Carson Ottinger was awarded Grand Champion in Market Swine while sophomore Kendall Koss was awarded Grand Champion in Senior Swine Showmanship, which was not an easy task. Koss also was dealt another blow, which one would think should've slowed him down.

He broke his arm after being bucked off a horse in early June.

"It's pretty healed up by now," Koss said.

He said the key to winning the event is not only control, but eye contact with the judge and a smile.

"It feels pretty good to win," Koss said.

Koss has had a pig at the fair for the last three years and has won two showmanship events. The pig he showed that day was around five months old.

Koss showed a few animals in his years at 4-H including beef, swine and lamb, but his favorite event is close to home.

"We raise beef so it's more prideful if you win," Koss said.

Koss plans on showing livestock throughout the rest of his high school career.

Another 4-H student, Marley Manoukian will be entering her final year of 4-H and high school after this summer.

Manoukian is most famous as a part of the 2015 State B Champion M-ettes basketball team, but she is equally fond of animals.

"It's probably about even," Manoukian said. "I like sports but I also like animals too. It's nice to know you have a team with basketball but when you're showing a pig, it's just you and if you're pig isn't cooperating it doesn't work."

She shared what it takes to have a good pig showing.

"You have to keep your pig moving, make sure he doesn't get into any fights, always keep your pig between you and the judge, always have eye contact with the judge and smile a lot," Manoukian said.

If one has never been to a swine showing, that person wouldn't realize how much pigs fight when they are in the arena.

"I think it's just because some pigs are more dominant than others and they think they need to fight," Manoukian said. "The board-men are pretty good and they go in there and stop it."

Like Koss, Manoukian has shown nearly every animal, though she didn't get a chance to show her favorite animal, the horse.

"I kind of got busy during the summer and got a job, but I went through all the horsemanship things, so I didn't have many left to do."