YOUNGSTERS HANG ON TO HEIFERS

With double the number of entrants and the need for an ambulance, the SEMO District Fair's Peewee Showmanship competition for children 4 to 8 years old was extra exciting this year.

The 30 competitors were just beginning to bring their heifers, sheep and mules into the 4-H ring Saturday for one of the cutest events at the fair when the balky black Angus heifer Adam Birk was leading jerked the Jackson boy off his feet. The heifer then landed a hoof on the side of Adam's head, drawing blood.

Paramedics and an ambulance were summoned. After some minutes on the ground, Adam appeared to be OK but was taken to a hospital for X-rays just to be sure.

After the accident, Adam told his grandmother he just didn't want to let go of his heifer. He and his brother, Clay, both showed heifers.

Many members of his family were there. The crowd in the stands gave him a round of applause as announcer Mildred Kirchdoerfer talked about how brave he was.

The accident was "just one of those things," she said later. "Anybody can act up."

Emily Ruch, a 7-year-old from Daisy, won the Peewee Showmanship championship and a trophy with her 6-month-old Charolais heifer, Sis. She is the daughter of Teri and Matt Ruch.

Her father said she has worked with the calf every day to get ready for the fair.

She is the third generation of her family to show at the fair. The family raises registered Charolais cattle on their farm.

The Peewee Showmanship returned to the fair last year after a long absence. Kirchdoerfer, the superintendent of the event, said the peewee competition gives youngsters self-esteem. "And it gives them incentive to try again."

The Kirchdoerfers have a dairy farm on Route K in Cape Girardeau. Her husband, Joe, was the ring man Saturday. He has been showing cows at the fair for 50 years and has had many champions including this year's.

Kirchdoerfer said the 4-H exhibits and contests are the main attraction at the fair for farm kids.

"Our children did not know there was a carnival," she said, "and we never had one lost child."

Saturday was the final day of the fair, which had the good fortune of perfect weather throughout its seven-day run. Attendance through Friday night was 82,662. Country music star Waylon Jennings performed Saturday night at the grandstand.