Animal attraction - Youngsters prepare livestock for fair

Maggie listens to the radio every day from her home in rural Jackson. That's not so unusual -- except that Maggie is a Simmental heifer who calls a barn home.

Jenny Eakins, Maggie's owner, says the radio is an integral part of the heifer's "stage presence" training for the SEMO District Fair, which runs Sept. 8 through 15.

"The radio gets the animals used to noises," said Eakins, a 15-year-old businesswoman who owns four Simmentals and a pair of crossbred steers. "Maggie was a little jittery in her early shows last year."

Eakins' animals will be entered in 4-H classes at the fair on Sept. 12 and the open class on Sept. 14.

Before those exhibitions, though, there is a lot of animal primping to be done.

"It's a lot of work making animals look their best for judging," Eakins said. "We work with the animals all year, but the last two weeks before this show, you spend a lot of extra time, washing them, clipping them, leading them."

Ben Meier, who will enter some of his 20 sheep at the fair, is also putting hours and hard work into final grooming.

"We have to shear the sheep about a week before the fair," said Meier, a senior at Jackson High School.

His brother, Charles Meier, 12, will enter two sheep and a half-dozen chickens in fair competition.

The Meiers and Eakins are among millions of youngsters who participate in 4-H and FFA programs each year.

4-H youngsters participate in more than 100 program areas sponsored by Extension Services throughout the United States. The youth organization is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, with more than 6.8 million participants. Another 45 million people are 4-H alumni.

FFA, Future Farmers of America, also has a long list of members, with more than 455,000 members in 7,226 chapters. Another 11,000 teachers provide curriculum for students in a number of agri-sciences and programs.

Eakins and Charles Meier are members of the Progressive 4-H program at Jackson.

Ben Meier is a member of the Jackson High School FFA program.

A year-round job

Eakins became interested in raising animals four years ago when she attended the SEMO District Fair with her father, Roger Eakins, a regional livestock specialist with Missouri extension.

"I thought I might like to become involved with some animals," Eakins said.

Her involvement has turned into an almost year-round job.

"It's a commitment," she said. "Animals have to be watered, fed and checked almost every day."

Preparing for the fair can mean tending to livestock on cold winter nights, and in the case of cattle, halter-breaking them. But Eakins enjoys what she does.

"I like animals, and I like working with them," she said.

Eakins has entered her Simmentals in other fairs -- the Sedalia State Fair and a recent Cape Girardeau County show held at Flickerwood Arena, north of Jackson, where Maggie was named grand champion Simmental heifer. Maggie also captured second in the Sedalia Missouri State Fair 4-H and Open Divisions.

Working with the animals, Eakins added, "also teaches you business responsibilities." Eakins recently borrowed money from a bank to buy her two steers.

"When I sell my two steers next week at the fair, I'll repay the note," she said. "This also helps me establish a credit rating."

Affable animals

The Meier brothers spend a good deal of time with their animals. The brothers have two breeds of sheep -- Shropshire and Texel.

"We have to shear the sheep twice a year," said Ben Meier. "And we have to teach the sheep to show without a halter."

Sheep are affable animals, Ben noted.

"They're social, and they're curious." He motioned toward a group of sheep which had gathered near the fence. "See, the entire group came down just to see what's going on."

One afternoon last week, Ben selected a lamb for shearing, and herded it into a special grooming stand.

"The grooming stand can be set at ground level," he said. "You place the sheep in the stand, and you raise it to a good height for working with the sheep."

With only a few days left before the FFA Fair show, Ben Meier is performing what he called a "slick shear" on his show entries.

"This allows judges an opportunity to more closely examine the sheep in the show," said Ben.

Livestock auctions get underway at the fair Thursday about 4:30 p.m., following a banquet for livestock buyers.

Agriculture shows are a big part of the SEMO Fair. As many as 1,000 or more entries for cows, horses, pigs, sheep, poultry, mules, goats, rabbits, pigeons, guinea pigs and chickens are entered in the livestock contests. Those entered come from all age groups.

rowen@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133