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West Central Junior Livestock Show is June 20-21 Thursday, June 19, 2008
Agri News staff writer
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. -- Show details are being finalized for the West Central Minnesota Junior Livestock Show in Fergus Falls this weekend.
The show's premiere took place last year and founder, Gary Eckley, says the event was a success. There were 48 exhibitors and 60 animals in the show. The numbers are similar for this year's event and more can participate, Eckley said.
West Central Minnesota Junior Livestock Show is June 20 and 21 at the Red Horse Ranch Arena north of Fergus Falls. Any youth age 21 or younger interested in showing in the beef heifer, steer or dairy steer classes can complete a registration form at www.redhorserancharena.com. Questions can be directed to Eckley at 218-731-2214.
Although it was Eckley's idea to start the show, he has a committee of area cattle producers and cattle industry representatives coordinating the event. When he started planning for the first event almost a year and a half ago, he asked cattle producers from Becker, Otter Tail, Wilkin, Douglas and Clay counties to help. The sought donations from a five-county area and breed associations.
Exhibitors came from a 150-mile area. Eckley has received registrations from the same area, but says due to the state's bovine TB status, he may not see as many exhibitors from North Dakota.
He's excited to work again with the Red Horse Ranch Arena staff. The group was very professional and accommodating to the show and exhibitors, he said.
The show is a labor of love for Eckley. He started it for his grandchildren.
He joined the family in a truck full of grandchildren pulling a trailer of show cattle to Rochester for a Simmental show, he said. The trip took them five hours one way.
"After doing that for two years, my daughter asked me, 'Why is there no show in our area?'" he said. "That was the planting of the seed."
He had no livestock show planning experience but says his own show knowledge and that of other producers helped to arrange the first show. There are more cattle producers and committee members working at this year's show to answer exhibitors' questions and to help with registration and show placings. |
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