4-H veteran shows his versatility at fair

Denton Scrabro leads his steer, Surge, out of the barn in San Rafael Thursday, August 14. Scarbro is hoping to sell the steer next month in the State Fair. — © 2008 Gallup Independent / Cable Hoover

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

PREWITT — Denton Scarbro enters not only the animals categories at the Cibola-McKinley Bi-County Fair, but indoor exhibits as well.

He took first place in several of these areas during the 4-H Achievement Day a few weeks ago, including woodworking, ceramics and also entered sewing and beadwork categories.

Denton, 16, a junior at Grants High School, said 4-H is fun.

“You get to compete and win and make new friends,” he said. “It’s fun to do stuff other than just animals.”

Denton plans to enter one steer, two pigs, two chickens and a duck in the animals categories this year.

In the past couple of years he has walked away with some of the top awards.

He said he has other pigs, steers and lambs that will be entered in the state fair, following the Bi-County Fair.

“They are a little better than then ones I am taking to the Bi-County Fair,” he said.

Denton said he works with his animals twice a day. Mornings before school and after school, spending several hours feeding, watering and training them to show.

After 4-H, after high school, Denton said he wants to become a veterinarian and specialize in large animals, such as cattle and horses.

“Anything I can do to help animals when they are sick,” he said. He has not yet settled on which college he wants to attend after high school.

“I may want to come back here when I become a vet,” he said.

Denton’s mother, Veronica Scarbro, said he has wanted to be a veterinarian for several years already.

“He has learned a lot of responsibility and is learning the value of money,” she said. “He is learning how to use money, how to earn it and how to spend it.”

“It is good for him to learn how to do woodworking, sewing and those types of things,” she said.

Someday, Denton will be on his own and he will know how to sew up a pair of torn pants, how to fix things that are made out of wood and broken.

“He will know how to cook for himself and will know how to sew a pair of socks,” she said.

“It’s cool to be in 4-H,” Denton said. “Being in it and being really good is cool.

“Every year I learn more about what the judges are looking for in the animals, what kind of muscle definition and the way they walk,” Denton said.

Fair information: (505) 863-3432.
On the net: http://bi-countyfair.com
To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 285-4560 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.