For 4-H’ers, a year to work, learn, earn

GORHAM – Theo may only be a year old, but he already weighs 1,350 pounds. And he’s got what it takes to be a champ.

In the 4-H baby beef show at Cumberland County Fair Tuesday, Theo, owned by Bonny Eagle High school junior Ben Pride, captured grand champion honors.

“I put in a lot of hard work this year,” said Pride, a member of the Red and White Faces 4-H Club in Gorham. “We work the whole year for this hour,” he said as cameras popped in the arena following the show. “It’s great to see an outcome like this.”

The 139th annual fair, located at Blanchard and Bruce Hill roads in the town of Cumberland, is under way through Saturday. Sponsored by the Cumberland Farmers Club, it features agricultural displays and judging, animals, rides, food and a traditional fair midway.

Before entering an indoor arena at noon Tuesday, the 4-H students at the fair got a break in the weather as they washed and primped their entries outside for the baby beef show.

But before the baby beef steer show ended inside, a cloudburst let loose. Rain appeared to dampen activity throughout the fair and along its midway.

“It’s slowing things down,” said Don Doyle, vice president of the Cumberland Farmers Club, about the rain. “Overall, very slow.”

But he remained optimistic.

“If we can get good weather Friday and Saturday, we’ll be golden,” Doyle said.

Pride, like the other eight 4-H students in the baby beef steer show, caught their entries in a calf scramble at the fair last year. On Wednesday, the steers were auctioned and the students parted with the animals they’ve babied for a year.

Samantha Grant, 16, who is a Gorham High School junior, and her steer, Posh, took the reserve grand champion honors in the baby beef show.

The 4-H students will keep the money their steers brought in Wednesday’s auction at 4 p.m. after the American Journal deadline. But parting with their baby beef steers won’t be easy.

“I’ll miss him,” Samantha Grant said after Tuesday’s show. “He’s a good boy.”

Her mother, Jenn Grant, leader of the Red and White Faces 4-H club, said by caring for the animals, the students learn responsibility and teamwork.

“I like to see them work together,” she said.

Each 4-H member had the full care of the calves they caught last year in the scramble at the annual fair. The Cumberland County Fair donates the calves for the scramble.

“It’s quite a rodeo,” said Tim Chute of Windham, who’s son Joe Chute, a Windham High School senior, took home a calf he named Norman.

After catching a calf, each 4-H member takes total care of the calf, teaching it to lead and is responsible for feeding and grooming.

“It’s a year commitment,” Tim Chute said.

This year’s baby beef grand champion, Theo, weighed 510 pounds when Pride caught it a year ago in the scramble, and has since packed on 840 pounds.

Chelsea Burnham, 16, a Gorham High School junior, had the heaviest steer in the show this year at 1,394 pounds.

To participate in Tuesday’s 4-H show, said Tim Chute, the students were required to have excused absences from schools. But they are required to make up of missed schoolwork.

“It’s an educational experience,” Tim Chute said about 4-H projects.

Jenn Grant said the Red and White Faces 4-H club is for ages 12 through 18. The 4-H members meet regularly and also visit farms. “They’re a real good group,” Jenn Grant said.

“They learn about community and giving back,” Tim Chute said.

Showing in 4-H, Tim Chute said, builds self-confidence in students.

“They’re out there by themselves,” Chute said as he watched his son Tuesday from the sidelines during the show.

The baby beef steers and the 4-H students showing them were judged in three categories – fitting, showmanship and confirmation of the animals. The show’s judge, Don Whicker of Sharpsville, Ind., praised the 4-H students and quality of their baby beef entries.

“Their calves were excellent,” Whicker said after the judging. “A very good show here.”

Samantha Grant, a Gorham High School junior, and Posh admire a blue ribbon earned during the 4-H Baby Beef competition at the Cumberland County Fair on Tuesday. The duo finished second overall in a tough, close contest.Photo by Rich Obrey