Salute To Idaho Agriculture: Jerome Fair judges children’s animals

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The sound of cows is all too common at the barns during FFA showings at the Jerome Fairgrounds.

FFA kids spent much of last week presenting their animals to judges, hoping to win the top prize. But for Eliza Dugan, the program’s importance goes well beyond that.

“Some of my best lessons I have learned inside the ring or at home at my show barn,” Dugan said. “Showing livestock is a great way to make sure that we are growing up to be good people but also caring and raising different livestock and overall helps you develop a person, and also makes sure to remind you that to help others and to work hard and work towards a common goal.”

Dugan said showing and caring for cows is more challenging than letting them graze in a pasture. A lot goes into raising these giant animals, which will one day produce products on our shelves.

“For my market heifers, I wake up, I feed them early, nice and cool, so they can eat,” Dugan said. “Then, I tie them up and take them on walks, work with them to become a teammate with them and a team player, making sure they get to know me and know what their job is and what they have to do.”

For kids competing at the fair, it’s not just about having the best animal but also about having a great partner.

“Showmanship is all about how well you work with your animal, how well you guys are a team together, whether it might not be the best day with your animal just attitude wise,” Dugan said. “It’s still all about how you guys work together and how you present them to the judge to the best of your ability.”

In the end, great lessons were learned, great partnerships were made, and, in the case of these kids and animals, the honor of being the best of the best at the Jerome County Fair.

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