Angells Do Well at Dairy Show: Siblings Take Two Top Awards

Siblings Joe and Amanda Angell of Randolph Center know how to pick and show top dairy cattle. For the second year in a row, Joe took Grand Champion at the 2007 Central Region 4-H Dairy Show held last month at the Tunbridge Fairgrounds. Amanda won the Dick Dodge Memorial Award for Fitting and Show for her fourth year in a row.

The show is a two-day event that has many facets. There is a competition for the best dairy record book. First place record book winners were Danielle Galbreath (senior division), Alison Powell (junior) and Morgan Conant (Novice).

Youth are also evaluated on how neat they keep their stables, which is referred to as herdsmanship. Are the tools put away? Are they working as a team? How clean and neat does their area look?

The day before show, youth spend time and energy grooming their cow. The morning of the show, each youth dresses neatly in a white shirt and pants. Showing an animal is more than just having fun.

4-H Dairy Alumni, Samantha Conant and Andrew Wright say that showing builds confidence and self-esteem.

"If it weren’t for showing, I would be much more self-conscious and shy and not as outgoing," says Samantha Conant.

Andrew Wright points out that, "Showing teaches you to reach out and meet other people."

Danielle Galbreath, who has shown for years, also sees competition as a way to build confidence, noting, "I improve more when I don’t place first. I want to do better and try harder."

The 4-H Dairy Program has a long tradition of teaching responsibility, communication, critical thinking skills and most importantly, participants thinks it’s fun. For more information about the Orange County4-H Dairy Program, contact Michael Wilson at 223-2389 ext. 16.

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