They showed off their exquisite projects and competed against one another with their baked goods, crafts and cake designs. They also proudly displayed their beloved farm animals to spectators to prove they worked hard on tending to their flock, beasts and bunnies.
The Montezuma County Fair kicked off July 21, showcasing the community’s accomplishments throughout the year in the livestock shows and open classes, where anyone can display their projects, including food and sewing project, arts and sciences.
The fair concluded July 29 with the junior livestock sale.
Participants in this year’s fair included 192 4-H members, Cloverbuds and Future Farmers of America. They engaged in exhibitions that included the junior livestock sale, horse show, shooting sports, livestock shows, Grand Round Robin Livestock Showmanship and topics such as food preservation, quilting and baking.
This year, 109 members sold livestock, a few down from last year’s 113 members.
Animals that were sold to the 61 buyers included rabbits, goats, sheep, swine, fowl and beef. The total sale reached $348,000 this year, compared with last year’s total of 305,000.
The money earned by the youths at the junior stock sale is saved or spent in various ways, said Tierney Wilson, Montezuma CSU 4-H Youth Development Extension agent.
“Usually it goes into a savings account where they save it for next year’s project, to make a big purchase (like a car) or to save it for college,” Wilson told The Journal in an email. “There are some 4-H members who paid for their college because of their livestock animals they sell at the fair. It’s a pretty cool thing to see!”
What they win depends on the project. Wilson said that all projects get an embroidered jacket or duffle bag along with an IFA Country Store gift card. The livestock animals also receive a prize – a banner and a buckle.
“We are super thankful to our supporters,” Wilson said. “We wouldn’t have a fair without our supporters!”
The 4-H Horse Show was held July 15 and 16, and both the Grand Champion Showman and Horseman was CeJae Snyder.
At the 4-H shooting sports contest, the Grand Champion winners included Coulter Weyand with the .22 rifle and Elijah Jarmon with the .22 pistol. Braden Schmittel won the archery senior compound, and Hailee Martinez and Zane Brown won the archery junior compound. Peyton Perry achieved the archery junior recurve, and Zye Kuenzler won the shotgun title.
The 4-H members who enrolled in the shooting sports were able to participate in the Colorado State Fair. Montezuma’s 4-H junior recurve team took third place in the state, the junior compound took fifth, in the state and the seniors earned seventh.
The Grand Champion winners for all topics included:
- Cake decoration: Julia West and Blair Rice.
- Clothing: Audree Butler.
- Fashion review: Audree Butler.
- Communications and arts: Madison North.
- Performing arts: Lexi Simmons.
- Food: Miray Young.
- Home economics: Audree Butler.
- Leathercraft: Tanny Young.
- Mechanical science: Nolan West.
- Natural resources: Daniel Harrison.
- Photography: Mikaila Robertson.
- Rocket launch: Bridger Weyand.
- Rocketry: Grayson Hall.
- Shooting sports: Coulter Weyand.
- Demonstration: Lexi Simmons
The Grand Champion winners for topics
- Cake decoration: Julia West and Blair Rice.
- Clothing: Audree Butler.
- Fashion review: Audree Butler.
- Communications and arts: Madison North.
- Performing arts: Lexi Simmons.
- Food: Miray Young.
- Home economics: Audree Butler.
- Leathercraft: Tanny Young.
- Mechanical science: Nolan West.
- Natural resources: Daniel Harrison.
- Photography: Mikaila Robertson.
- Rocket launch: Bridger Weyand.
- Rocketry: Grayson Hall.
- Shooting sports: Coulter Weyand.
- Demonstration: Lexi Simmons
Wednesday, July 26 had three shows beginning with the rabbit show. Kacey Schmittel won the Grand Champion Showman, the Grand Champion Market and the Grand Champion Breeding Rabbit titles. She sold her Grand Champion Market Rabbits to Logan Hindmarsh for $2,400.
The goat show followed the rabbit show that afternoon. Willa Rice won the title for the Grand Champion Breeding Goat, and Siana Elliott was the Grand Champion for the Dairy Goat. The Grand Champion Goat Showman was Presley Oliver, and Abrie Spruell was the Grand Champion for the Market Goat. Spruell sold her Grand Champion Market goat to Keesee Motor Company for $3,000.
The long day ended with the 4-H dog show where the Grand Champion Showman was Kacey Schmittel. Kaydence Spruell won the Grand Champion title for Dog Obedience.
Thursday, July 27, consisted of the sheep and beef show.
Danika Goodall won the Grand Champion title for Sheep Showman, and Danika Oliver won for Breeding and Market Sheep. Oliver sold her Grand Champion Market Lamb to Merlin Jones for $4,000.
The beef show Grand Champions included Andelin Lanier for Beef Showman, Camryn Oliver for Market Beef, Taylor Garner for Breeding, Kaydence Apple for Dairy Cow and Cardon Lanier for Rate of Gain. Oliver sold her Grand Champion Market Steer to Merlin Jones for $10,000.
Early on Friday, July 28 at 8:30 a.m. Kaydence Spruell became the Grand Champion Swine Showman and Tinley Philpott won the Grand Champion title for Market Swine. Philpott sold her Grand Champion Market swine to Circle Z for $8,000.
The fowl show was also held on Friday, and Julia West earned the Grand Champion Fowl Showman title, Akima Kane won the Grand Champion title for Breeding and Joel West won the accolade for the Grand Champion Market Fowl.
Later that afternoon, the Grand Round Robin contest was held, and the Grand and Reserve Grand Showmen of all species competed against each other for the Grand Champion Round Robin title. Akima Kane became the Grand Champion Round Robin winner and the Reserve Grand Champion Round Robin was Taylor Hampton.
