By Molly Mcfaun
The heavy rains and flooding held off long enough for 22 4-H’ers from Orange and Windsor Counties to take part in a dairy clinic on July 9 although the dairy show, scheduled for the following day, had to be canceled.
According to organizer, Molly McFaun, University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H educator, it was a tough decision to cancel, but the prudent one to make. Fortunately, the 4-H’ers, volunteers and animals were all safely evacuated before the storm hit the area.
The scheduled event was the 2023 Central and Southeastern Regional Dairy Clinic and Show. The venue, the Tunbridge Fairgrounds in Tunbridge.
Held annually, the event provides an opportunity for dairy members to show the dairy animals that they raised through their 4-H projects. The show also helps prepare the older competitors, ages 11 to 18, for the State 4-H Dairy Show held in August each year. For younger participants, it’s a chance to practice fitting and showing animals and to learn from their 4-H peers and adult volunteers.
Although the regional show was canceled this year, the clinic was held and featured two different activities. Dr. Taylor Hull, a South Royalton veterinarian, provided a dairy anatomy lesson. Tunbridge residents Jen Thygesen and her son, Keenan, a 4-H dairy alum, presented a fitting and showing workshop for each of the age divisions.
4-H participants were:
- BETHEL: Dani Flint, Andy and Sophie Fors, Amos and Arden Riesterer, Austin Washburn
- HARTLAND: Maeve Leslie-Gawalt, Logan and Tyler Meacham, Hayden Peeler, Zoe Rumsey, Bee Wilbur
- NEWBURY: Amy and Lizzie Vaughan
- NORWICH: Peter Morig
- POMFRET: Ashton Perkins
- RANDOLPH: Chandler Cook
- RANDOLPH CENTER: Leah Rogers, Thomas Williams
- TOPSHAM: Elizabeth Waterman
- TUNBRIDGE: Sylvia Johnson
- WEST TOPSHAM: Elise Sanders
Assisting McFaun with the event were UVM Extension 4-H Educator Tracey Stubbins and Jen Thygesen, an adult volunteer from Tunbridge. The event also was made possible thanks to the Orange County 4-H Foundation, Orange County Farm Bureau, Windsor County Farm Bureau and the Union Agricultural Society (aka the Tunbridge Fairgrounds).
Source : uvm.edu