Emo Fair was ‘smokin’ hot’

Well, we certainly had a “smokin’ hot” fall fair in Emo this year!
And I’m not just referring to the extreme temperatures, either, as the cattle show was awesome (I think the cattle were too hot to misbehave).
The annual 4-H show featured 10 beautiful heifers and 25 top-notch steers! The steer auction, meanwhile, was like no other and it gave me another reason to be so proud of this great community we live in!
Yes, the heat made things difficult but it still is better than pouring rain like we have experienced so many other times.
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My friend, Aaron Bujold, went home with the Grand Champion Female in our Open Cattle Show. Aaron has been working hard to take that title home and had a great group of Hereford animals at the show.
Aaron works all year long training, trimming, and preparing for the fair. I am so proud of what a great farm-boy he is!
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The Emo Fair is the Beef Club’s Achievement Program and it is a big weekend for the members–it is great to see how their hard work pays off.
I think they all are winners when they successfully show their animals without much trouble. Some of the class winners included:
•Champion Senior Showman–Jessica Haw
•Reserve Senior Showman–Leroy Rempel
•Champion Intermediate Showman—Ayden Gushulak-Kelly
•Reserve Intermediate Showman–Kailey Croswell
•Champion Junior Showman–Avery Cates
•Reserve Junior Showman–Brett Schram
•Champion Novice Showman–Bradley Teeple
•Reserve Novice Showman – Kenna LeBlanc
•Overall Champion Showman–Jessica Haw
•Overall Reserve Showman–Kailey Croswell
•3rd overall–Leroy Rempel
(Showmanship is the class that they are judging you, and how well you display and handle your animal).
•Grand Champion Beef Heifer–Kenna LeBlanc
•Reserve Champion Beef Heifer–Bradley Teeple
•Grand Champion Steer–Jessica Haw
•Reserve Champion Steer–Andrea Schram
•3rd place–Morgan Haw
•4th place–Brett Schram
•5th place–Avery Cates
•6th place–Malena Flatt
(This is judged on your animals–also note two families were the top four steers!)
The top placing first-year steer club member is given a cash award in memory of Rod Salchert, which went to Brett Schram.
Logan Teeple was chosen by Cody Carson (ringman for the show) for the Gary Teeple Memorial Award.
We also give out a Hard-Luck Award in memory of Rod Salchert and this year we chose Hayden Haw, who had his steer picked out last fall but he bloated and died.
The steer he had to show was only a year old but they did a fine job of feeding him and he looked awesome!
We have never seen such a great steer auction! LH North (Dave Heyens) paid $6.10/pound for Hayden Haw’s excellent steer.
All steers sold extremely high and we thank the community for supporting our program and our members.
We still have a few awards yet to be handed out (we now have carcass awards so once the steers are graded, we will have a few more winners to mention).
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The Rainy River Hereford Association’s annual “Guess the Weight” contest saw three lucky winners this year!
Ken McKinnon, Tracy Hyatt, and Clayton Teeple all guessed right on the money (the heifer weighed 1,090 pounds).
The $500 beef package was won by Patrick Blackwell of Kenora.
The Hereford Association also sponsors the Andy Carpenter Memorial Herdsman Award, which was won by Bradley Teeple.
Bradley had a wonderful weekend and even though showing many times before, this was his first official 4-H year and he was one happy boy!
The following were the Stall Award winners (sponsored by the Rainy River Hereford Association and the Rainy River Federation of Agriculture):
•1st place—Kim Jo Bliss (KJB Herefords)
•2nd place—Ted and Deb Zimmerman (Zimmerman Farms)
•3rd place—Jason and Chantelle Teeple (Teeple Farms)
•4th place—Louis and Shari Bujold (Bujold Farms)
•5th place—Bryan Kelly
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It did seem as though the heat perhaps held a few people back from attending the fair and rightfully so. Those of you who were able to tough it out—good job. It was a great weekend.
Thanks to everyone who plays a role in making it all happen, especially to Steve Loshaw for taking on the position at the Farm Progress Building to allow that event to continue on.
Linda and Stanley have worked hard at this many times over many years and we wish Linda better health as I’m sure she missed it!
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I have to mention my own girls . . . I am very proud of my little farm nieces, who showed both their yearling heifers and their calves.
Both girls were stepped on and knocked around but they didn’t give up! That is what it is all about.
Now they both want to take their animals to the Dryden Fair. Looks like soon I just will be the “pooper scooper!”