The 2019 National Junior Hereford Show also known as Bonanza, was held July 30 to Aug. 3, in Weyburn.
This show is open to youth across Canada who are members of the Canadian Junior Hereford Association. Bonanza is held annually, each time in a different province. It was Saskatchewan’s turn this year to host the 40th anniversary of the show.
The barns were full this year with 180 participants and 270 purebred and commercial Hereford cattle. Juniors range in age from 5 to 21 years.
Six youth from the Parkland area brought cattle to the show: Kenzie and Ty Airriess of Wadena, SK. Codee, Jessee and Kenzee Kopelchuk of Canora, SK and Jillian Just of Yorkton, SK.
Each day started about 6 am with the animals being fed, watered, washed and groomed in preparations for the days’ events.
As this is a youth show, parental help is limited to helping feed, water and lead animals only as an assistant, the daily care, preparation and showing of the animals is the responsibility of the junior members. What a learning experience this is. The juniors relish these chores and do so without complaint. Each day ends after 8pm when evening chores are done, supper finished and daily awards handed out.
The focus of this show is the exhibition of the animals these juniors have brought to the show but there is so much more as well. There were classes for Hereford specific photography, artwork and literature. Juniors may compete in public speaking events, individual and team judging of pens of cattle then giving oral reasons of how they would place the cattle in a class. Individual and team grooming where juniors show off their skills in fitting cattle for the show ring. Showmanship classes where they are judged not on the animal but how they show that animal. Each evening after supper there were mixer events that gave the juniors a chance to get to know each other.
Some highlights of the show for our Parkland Juniors included;
Kenzie Airriess:
2nd place PeeWee Individual Grooming
2nd place Little League Grooming
4th in class with her yearling heifer Sparkle
Ty Airriess:
4th place PeeWee Showmanship
3rd place Little League Grooming
3rd in Class with his yearling heifer Felicia
Jillian Just:
2nd place Senior Team Grooming
3rd in class with her yearling heifer
3rd in class with her yearling bull
This show was a spectacular success and a great thankyou to all the sponsors, organizers, judges and volunteers of the show. The show barns are now empty with the juniors and cattle back home. Preparations are already being made to attend the 2020 Bonanza in Brandon, Manitoba next summer.
