Highlights of the 20th Annual 4-H Show & Sale

By Susan Etxebarria

BRIGHTON — The 20th Annual 4-H Youth Livestock Show and Sale was held March 23–24 at the Brighton reservation’s 4-H Barns. Seventy-five 4-Hers presented their animals. It marks the culmination of six to eight months of hard work in which each child faces many challenges. 4-H is an educational program in which children 8-18 “learn-by-doing.”

The big winners this year of the 4-H awards are: Steer: Skyler Burke, Grand Champion, LeAnna Billie, Reserve Champion; Swine: Kiylier Baker, Grand Champion, Levi Billie, Reserve Champion; Junior Showmanship: Raven Osceola and Jaryaca Baker; Senior Showmanship: LeAnna Billie and Mark Arriaga.

Many know that 4-H teaches youth to be reliable, dependable and responsible. If a child neglects the care and feeding of their animals, they fail in their objectives. We often don’t think about all the work that 4-H parents also have to take on their shoulders to help their children successfully raise a barnyard animal. Children need guidance and direction; they always need a second pair of helping hands; especially if the child is bedridden with a cold or is gone one night to play basketball or softball.

“It was really challenging,” said parent Connie Haught of Brighton. “I didn’t realize it would be so hard.”

Her eight-year-old daughter, Skyler Burke, was a big winner this year. What is amazing is that it is Skyler’s first year in 4-H. Her steer named Trixter placed grand–the champion of champions; it weighed 695 pounds when Skyler got the black Brangus calf from her uncle Amos Tiger’s ranch. After months of care, Trixter’s ending weight was 1,190.

Her steer was an exceptional animal that even the judge, Brian Dreyden, said he would buy. The judge told the audience during the show that Trixter had a lot of muscle mass and was really filled out; a very “finished” steer.

Skyler, smiling and confident, shined in the show ring as she led the obedient Trixter in front of the crowd and the judge. For her mom, 4-H was a matter of good parenting–and getting lots of help.

“She’s come a long, long way,” said Burke. “We were hard on her; we had to stay on her to keep up with her chores and her assignments.”

She said her boyfriend, Shawn McCormack, worked with Skyler more than she did, but there were other family members and friends who gave them assistance and advice when they needed it.

“It took a group effort with us because we were new to 4-H,” she said. “I wasn’t in 4-H when I was a kid and we didn’t know what to do.”

Haught said she especially wanted to thank Amos and Lanell Tiger, and Billie Tiger for helping Skyler.

“Everyday after school, after my homework, I had to lead Trixter around about 30 minutes a day,” said Burke. “I had to feed him. We spent a lot of money on feed. I really love my steer. You can go right up to him and pet him.”

President of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., Moses Osceola affirmed that parents make a difference in their children’s lives At the buyer’s dinner, before the sale on Friday evening, he told the large gathering of buyers and families that 4-H parents play an important role in 4-H.

“I want to thank the parents for all their participation,” Osceola said.

Another set of parents, Brighton’s Preston and Mona Baker, were often seen helping and guiding their daughters, Kiylier and Jaryaca, at the swine pens all three days. The Bakers have eight children and the girls are the eldest. Kiylier won grand reserve with her 244 pound swine named Tobbie; Jarayaca won junior showmanship with her 277 pound hog named Porkchop. The parents were elated for their daughters who said they worked very hard to tame their hogs, feed them and care for them.

Brighton’s Jr. Princess Stevie Brantley raised a hog she called Sweetie. Although she didn’t place she said she really enjoyed 4-H. Her hog went from 48 pounds when she got it to 203 pounds by show time.

“One of the things you worry about is that your hog is not going to make the weight,” she said. “You have to take care of your animal to make sure it stays healthy.”

Stevie said her hog almost died on competition day, March 23. It had stuck its snout in a bucket while she was away and someone passed by the pen and seeing the hog struggling to get its head out rescued Sweetie before it suffocated. It’s these kinds of unexpected happenings while raising an animal that children experience that make the project exciting and sometimes difficult.

Kalgary Johns’s parents, Jo Leigh “Boogie” and Naha Jumper, also worked with their eight year old daughter who showed a steer for the first time. Kalgary placed first in the super heavy weight class and earned a blue ribbon for her magnificent 1,420 pound animal, the largest steer.

The small girl gently and ably led the large beast around the ring. Once again, parent involvement was the key to her success. Her grandfather, Norman Johns, a Tribal cattleman, also helped guide Kalgary on her 4-H project. Johns had worked with his own kids when they were in 4-H and this year he assisted his granddaughter.

“Her mother [Boogie] was in the same boat 21 years ago,” said Johns.

As a parent he has been involved in 4-H with his own children 23 years ago starting with his son, Eric “Bubba” Johns, when he was only eight years old.

Another first time member of 4-H this year is Brighton’s Katrina Betteyoun. Her steer that she named Big Man weighed 1,090 pounds and came from Connie and Sonny Whidden’s pastures. The ninth-grader didn’t win a prize but she said she really enjoyed being in 4-H.

“I didn’t want to do 4-H at first,” Betteyoun said. “Mom and dad said just try it … and it’s alright!”

Her parents are Louella and Bobby Gates.

Every child who qualified for the show and sale deserves praise and admiration. Raising a wining hog or steer isn’t always possible due to unknown or unanticipated challenges. Not winning may be a disappointment for some; another lesson to be learned. But every 4-H member is a winner in the book of life. Making your best effort is what counts more than the results.

The 4-H grounds were set up like a large compound for three days. There was a tent for the 15 small animals that included rabbits, a sheep, a goat a hog, calves and two water buffalo. The swine pens were on one side of the enclosed show pen and the steer stalls on the other. The buyer’s dinner was held under a long large open structure.

Weighing the animals to make sure they met the required weight began on March 22. If the animal didn’t make the weight it was not allowed to enter the show and sale. There were quite a few swine that did not meet the requirement this year. Another test the youth had to pass Wednesday was being able to control the animal in the show ring.

The sifter who determined if the child was qualified to show the animal was Glades County Extension Agent Shelley Humphries.

“I am here to determine if the kids can control their animal so it won’t disrupt the show and harm other exhibitors,” said Humphries.

She is very familiar with 4-H having been a member herself for 10 years. It takes most of the day to test the children’s abilities in the ring.

Both nights of the show and sale were cool, with much rain on March 23.

“It makes the animals frisky,” said Big Cypress’s 4-H Coordinator Candi Mancil.

She said the BC club swine named “Bodacious” was so heavy at a whopping 325 pounds because of the unusually cool weather from November through February.

“It encouraged the hogs to eat more when the weather is cold,” she said.

There are many volunteers who help 4-H put on the complex show and sale. Every year the Immokalee 4-H members manage the swine pens and make sure the swine enter and exit from the show ring in a methodical pattern. Brighton’s Princess Jewel Buck gave out the ribbons to the winners during the show; Tribal Extension Agent Michael Bond served as an emcee for the show. Thanks go to Andy Bowers who helped classify the steer and swine into the various weight categories.

Sam Smedley and Joey Hayes donated many hours of time to prepare the grounds with their bobcat and front end loader including hauling in over 175 bags of sawdust. The judge of the swine show was Kenneth Arnold and the judge for the steer show was Brian Dreyden. The auctioneer was Brian Trimble.

Many others helped and all are to be commended for making it such a great event. The 4-H Youth Livestock Show and Sale was under the management of 4-H Coordinator Polly Hayes Osceola and her assistants, Dionne Smedley and Candi Mancil.

In Florida, 4-H is part of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service based at the land-grant universities and receives support from the combined county, state and federal governments. The 4-H organization is managed by professional staff and is supported by the university research base to meet the needs of local Florida citizens.