In May, I had the opportunity to photograph the Longview 4H Club at the Little Britches Show and Sale.  4H is an organization that helps youth in rural communities develop skills and knowledge in the agricultural industry.  4H most values learning by doing and the youth do everything from public speaking to camps to volunteer work to the focus of today’s post:  raising and showing animals.  My niece, Kayla, has spent the past many months raising her steer, Shiraz.  And I  had the complete pleasure of going to High River to document the culmination of all her hard work — the 4H Show and Sale.   It was a very chilly, rainy day with hardly any light coming into the arena.  So there was my ISO up high and my aperture wide and here is the story…

Here they are getting ready the day before the sale.

Grooming her steer with Dad before they show him.  Not only do the kids groom their own steer individually, there is also a group grooming competition where all the kids are judged on their teamwork skills as well as efficiency in their grooming skills.

And into the ring she goes.  Pretty amazing when you see these young girls leading their steers around the ring, keeping all their showmanship skills top of mind.  The steers weigh anywhere from 1200 – 1400 pounds and I’m not sure what Kayla is but a lot less than that!A view from above .. Kayla is second from the left.  There is a judge in there as well that you can see who gives each kid a review of their showmanship and the steer itself.

Her proud dad looking on…

It’s amazing to watch her carry herself with such confidence … I was truly so proud of her and all the others. 

And a last hug from Dad before she takes him into the ring for bidding.   She’s spent months and months looking after Shiraz and now it’s time for the buyers to bid on him, which equates to saying good-bye. 

Thank you Kayla!