4-H – FFA Teens Prepare for Big Saturday Show and Sale at Western Montana Fair
Every Saturday at the Western Montana Fair dozens of kids, big and small, gather for the 4-H/FFA Stock Show and Sale in the Glacier Ice Rink.
4-H representative Campbell Barrett brought FFA members Jon Andres and his sister Kyla, and Saralyn Standley to the KGVO studio to promote the show and sale coming up Saturday morning.
Saralyn said her project this year is a steer.
"I have a steer this year, and with steers, you usually get them in October and you have to feed them every day, I feed mine twice a day and you have to walk them a lot to make sure they're ready for the fair," she said.
Kyla Andres has an ambitious 4-H project this year.
"I have a herd of sheep, so I take my breeders to the fair, as well as my market animals," she said. Her brother Jon also has a steer in this year's fair. "I have a steer his year, and it's my 12th year in 4-H and my 6th year in FFA," he said. "We have a little cattle farm at our place, and so we get the animals ready to show and sell at the fair. It's really nice, because the community gets behind us and all the money I make goes in my college fund."
Jon explained the relationship between 4-H and FFA.
"They're separate organizations, but in 4-H they start out like at six years old, and FFA is for high school students," he said. "They're both great organizations and they focus on the same thing, and a lot of kids are in both as they get older."
One of the great traditions at the fair before the stock show and sale on Saturday morning is the buyer's breakfast at 6:30 a.m. which is free to buyers. The auction starts at 8 a.m. and generous local businesses bid high to make sure the kids do well financially, and thus prepare for the next year's event.
Oh, just one thing. All three of the FFA members in the KGVO studio have plans to attend MSU in Bozeman. (sigh)