It’s crunch time for 4-H member as Lyon County Free Fair approaches
By Brandy Nance
Saturday, July 21, 2007
With less than a week before the 2007 Lyon County Free Fair starts, 4-H member Mattie Decker, 13, has her work cut out for her with entries in everything from goats to rabbits to a cat and even a parakeet.
Mattie Decker, the daughter of Judy and Bill Decker, has been involved in 4-H for seven years. Decker, who is home-schooled, enjoys raising animals, she said.
“I like the animals and showing them,” she said. “I grew up around animals and I like having them around.”
One glance at the home of Decker early Thursday morning, told the story of many 4-H projects well underway. In the yard about 25 meat chickens graze in a mobile cage on fresh grass. The cage was made to be moved each day so the chickens won’t be sitting in their own mess and they always have fresh grass to eat, Decker said.
“And you don’t have to mow the lawn,” she said, with a smile, pointing to the previous day’s patch of grass the chickens had “mowed.”
Decker will take two pens of chickens to the fair next week. She will find the ones that look the nicest and will do the best with the judges, she said.
Next to the chickens, there is a pen of goats. As Decker walks into the pen she is several goats rush over to greet her — including a mother who had triplets this year. These four all will go to the fair, she said as she pointed them out. Goats Katie (mother) and Tinkerbell (daughter) will be entered into the mother/daughter class. All three babies also will be entered in the fair.
To prepare the goats for the fair, Decker will wash and trim them, trimming off the sunburned hair.
“It’s actually pretty easy to do,” Decker said.
Among the things judges look for in goats is body type and good utters.
“It depends on what kind of class it is,” Decker said.
Behind the goat pen is the rabbits house, which holds several pens for 31 rabbits. Among the breeds is Lion Head, Dutch and Holland Lop.
Decker removed a rabbit from its pen and pointed out several things the judges look for including markings, body type, muzzle and ears. What judges look for also depends on the breed, she said.
Behind the rabbit house, Sam waits for his morning meal of grain. Sam is a 15-month-old Galloway steer that also will be entered in the fair.
“The judges look for how nice and filled out they are,” Decker said, as she called Sam over for his breakfast.
Decker and Sam also will be judged on showmanship such as how Decker leads Sam along and how Sam is posed. She said one of the tasks prior to the fair is to make sure Sam is halter-broke. Following the competition, Sam will be entered into the premium sale along with some chickens.
On the way back to the house, a cat runs by. Decker points out that she will enter it into the cat show. She also mentions that she’ll enter a parakeet in the pet competition.
Of all the animals Decker raises, she said goats are her favorite.
“They have such fun personalities,” she said.
Decker said she does pretty well in the fair. Katie, the goat, won grand champion last year. Among her other awards is best of breed with rabbits and reserve grand champion with chickens.
Decker said it takes a lot of work to raise all the animals and get ready for the fair. A typical day for her includes feeding and watering all the animals, many animals need to be watered multiple times through the day. At night the chicken pen is moved to a fresh spot of grass. The animals with the least amount of work are the cat and the bird.
“The cat can hunt and the bird sits in the cage,” Decker said, with a smile.