Boscombe and Elk Point 4-Hers took top billing at the St. Paul District 4-H Invitational Heifer Show on May 15 in Goodridge, with members from St. Paul Multi Club, Boscombe Multi Club, Goodridge Beef Club and Elk Point Beef Club participating. Conformation judge Bill Dietrich congratulated the district on “a tremendous set of cattle. You’re doing a wonderful job, and the cattle industry in this area is very strong.”
Brooke Dechaine of Boscombe showed the Supreme Champion and Kailey Wirsta of Elk Point the Reserve Champion.
Both winning animals also collected the top prizes in the 2-Year-Old Cow/Calf class of nine entries, Brooke’s cow and calf winning the Rocky Red Angus award on their way to collecting the BOS Oilfield Services Ltd. banner and K-Cow Ranch cash prize in the final round, while Kailey accepted the Silver Knight Angus award for reserve 2-Year-Old before going on to win the Heartland Fuels UFA Petroleum banner and Fontaine ‘Carel’ Farms cash award.
Winners from the Yearling Heifer and 3-Year-Old Cow/Calf classes also took part in the final round of judging.
A field of 21 yearling heifers were divided into three groups for preliminary judging, with the top two from each group returning to the ring as Dietrich determined the top two overall. Elk Point 4-H members won both awards, Lexi Wirsta showing the champion yearling for the Crestview Angus prize, while Heidi Tymko showed the reserve for the T. J. Spur prize.
Four cow/calf sets, two of them with twin calves, were in the running in the 3-Year-Old class, where Hailey Dechaine of Boscombe accepted the championship sponsored by Laurence Kiwatkowski Ent. Ltd. for her cow and twin bull calves, and Kailey Wirsta received the reserve prize sponsored by Agland.
Kailey’s yearling and her two-year-old and three-year-old cow-calf pairs made up the champion entry in the Herd class, for the Richter Rocky Ridge Farms award, while Megan Wirsta of Boscombe showed the reserve champions for the prize sponsored by Ben and Melody Kwiatkowski. Five herds were judged in the class.
A very competitive grooming competition, card judging and showmanship classes started off the show, with showmanship and grooming judged by Ty Dietrich and Bill Dietrich giving the 4-Hers a rundown on what they should be looking for prior to filling out their judging cards.
Winners, with sponsors in brackets, were as follows;
Grooming: Senior (Goodridge Social Ag. Society): 1. Heidi Tymko, Elk Point, 2. Megan Wirsta, Boscombe; Intermediate (J.P. and Rhea Dechaine): 1. Kailey Wirsta, Elk Point, 2. Hailey Dechaine, Boscombe; Junior (DART Simmental): 1. Emily Yaremko, St. Paul, 2. Lexi Wirsta, Elk Point.
Showmanship: Senior (Donald and Tanya Kwiatkowski) 1. Heidi Tymko, 2. Devon Bailey, Boscombe; Intermediate (CK Ent. Ltd.): 1. Kailey Wirsta, 2. Brooke Dechaine, Boscombe; Junior (Top Gro Agro): 1. Lexi Wirsta, 2. Dawson Dechaine, Boscombe.
Judging: Senior (Scott’s Backhoe and Oilfield Services Ltd.): 1. Heidi Tymko, 2. Megan Wirsta; Intermediate (Real Honey Ltd.): 1. Kailey Wirsta, 2. Shelby Lynn Bailey, Boscombe; Junior (Northpark Collision and Frame): 1. Lexi Wirsta, 2. Kennedy Hebert, Boscombe.
Mistress of ceremonies for the show was Cecile Mathiot, while Ed Cozicor was ringmaster. The day’s show sponsors also included Bayer Crop Sciences, Caouette and Sons, Xtreme Power Products and St. Paul Municipal Seed Cleaning Association Ltd.