Things you don’t see at the fair
By Mark Lane
Submitted to Corner Post
In about six weeks county fairs will begin popping up like dandelions across the Corner Post region. Fairgoers will see kids in clean jeans and ironed shirts parading their livestock projects in front of judges. Going to the stall area, you might see groups of 4-H and FFA members working and laughing together. If you happen to attend a sale of steers, whethers and barrows after the show season has been completed, you may see tears on the cheeks of juniors whose projects were just sold. You might also see tears in the eyes of the parents of those boys and girls whose four-legged friends will not be going home with them.
What you will not see are the kids going out early every morning to feed the animals that depend on them. We won’t be there to watch bonds being built between kids and their projects. The miles walked to train the calf to lead properly, daily exercises to build muscle, grooming to grow shiny coats, and practicing showmanship to ensure that the judge will see what a fine specimen is being displayed will all take place out of our sight.
You and I won’t be on hand for the training period when toes get stepped on, hands get rope burns, feed pans and water buckets are turned over, and patience wears thin. (If we were there, we could point out to the junior that his/her parents can surely relate, but the kids would miss the ironic humor.) It is during that training time, when nobody is watching, that connections are made — the 4-H or FFA member learns to coax desired responses from the animal, and the animal learns to react to cues. It's a magical time that only comes after many hours of work.
You and I can only imagine the growth of character that has been taking place back home. So, as you watch youngsters with their livestock projects this summer, think about what you haven’t seen that got them to this point. Give them a smile and a word of praise for their performance out of the public eye, every bit as much as what they have done in the show ring.
