Breeze cools hot fair competition
— Bi-County Fair opens in Prewitt —

ABOVE: Jon Begaye of Gallup grooms a friend's goat at the Cibola-McKinley Bi-County Fair on Friday afternoon. Friday was the kickoff day for the annual fair. BELOW: Kristyanna Gabaldon waters her chickens while her mother, Rachel, feeds them on Friday at the Cibola-McKinley Bi-County Fair. — © 2008 Gallup Independent / Brian Leddy

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

PREWITT — It was a warm day but a cool breeze flowed through the large show barn at the Cibola-McKinley Bi-County Fair Friday keeping temperatures tolerable.

Outside, dozens of 4-H’ers worked hard preparing their lambs with last-minute shearing just prior to the opening day’s first livestock show.

Mike Hanagan, an FFFA teacher at Artesia High School in the southeastern part of the state, and a former New Mexico State University cooperative extension agent, is the judge this year. He said certain things are common to all animals in 4-H fairs.

“You look to see if the animal is structurally sound, if it can walk well,” he said. Genetics play a major part in how the animals develop.

“If the parents and grandparents have good genetics, then the animal will also,” he said.

First Bi-County Fair

Cauy (pronounced Ki) Duboise, 9, and her sister, Tia Duboise, 7, both of the Ponderosa 4-H Club in Ramah, were shearing their sheep with their parents’ help. This is Cauy’s first year in 4-H and her sister is in the Boosters, a pre-4-H club that prepares younger children for becoming 4-H members.

Asked what she does to train her lambs to be shown at the fair, Cauy gave an unexpected answer: “I run with them and jump with them over tires and logs in our yard.”

She said it builds up the lambs’ legs.

After the day’s show ring competition, Cauy said one of her lambs, Billy Bob, made the annual Junior Livestock Sale on Sunday where she will earn money for college from the sale of the lamb.

Julia Cohoe, 4-H coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources, Ramah Navajo Chapter, said the chapter has a program that gets local youth involved in 4-H as part of the chapter’s youth development program, including the DuBoise sisters.

Eathan Thompson, 15, a freshman at Pine Hill School in Ramah, and also a member of the Ponderosa 4-H Club, said he wants to become an equine scientist after attending college.

“It’s like a vet but only focusing on horses, including breeding,” her said. Eathan said his family owns eight horses and he rides all the time.

He said has been a member of 4-H for five years and his animals this year, a Duroc pig, a steer and a lamb, should help him raise money for college as well.

“I really like 4-H because I like going to the conferences, like leadership, and meeting all the kids there,” he said.

Reserve Grand Champion

Courtney Spencer, 13, a Los Alamitos Middle School student and a member of the Trailblazers 4-H Club in Prewitt, received the Reserve Grand Champion for her heavyweight division lamb Poco.

“I went to a lamb school in June at the state fairgrounds and learned how to show lambs better,” she said.

On Saturday she will show her two steers and a pig, hoping to repeat her success of Friday.

Denton Scarbro, 16, a junior at Grants High School, was relaxing with friends watching the lamb presentations in the show ring, not having to show his animals: One steer, two pigs, two chickens and a duck, until Saturday.

Jimmy Plane, Cibola County Cooperative Extension agent, said the first day of the fair was pretty typical.

“We have a lot of good animals this year,” he said.

The fair continues through Sunday and admission is free.

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.

Nathaniel Cruz carries water to thirsty pigs on Friday afternoon at the Cibola-McKinley Bi-County Fair. Cruz will show his pigs today during the competition. — © 2008 Gallup Independent / Brian Leddy