Much like the quote ‘if you build it they will come,” from W.P. Kinsella’s novel Field of Dreams, the organizers of the first-ever Cariboo Classic Junior Steer and Heifer Show taking place in Williams Lake June 3-5 were hopeful for a good response.
“We have 103 registered participants,” said Suzanne Spady, one of the organizers. “They are local kids and from as far away as Vancouver Island, Houston, Rock Creek, Kamloops and the Coast - they are from everywhere.”
A total of 150 steers and heifers are entered, she confirmed.
Open to youth from age seven to 21, participants will have the opportunity to exhibit at the outside arena of the BC Livestock Producers Co-op Association stockyards on Cattle Drive.
“None of the stock will be offered for sale, most of them will be sold at their respective 4-H sales.”
The youth will compete in showmanship for cash and prizes, have the opportunity to connect and network with like-minded individuals.
Similar to 4-H they will do public speaking and learn about marketing.
Things kick off Friday, June 3, at 2 p.m. with registration and weigh-in, followed by a group photo before a meet-and-greet pizza night.
Saturday, June 4, at 9 a.m. there will be an opening ceremonies with invited guests Williams Lake First Nation Chief Willie Sellars and members, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson and Williams Lake Stampede Princess Bayley Cail.
The showmanship portion of the weekend will get underway at 9:30 a.m. and will take the majority of the day.
“On Sunday at 9 a.m. we begin with heifers and steers and will wrap up later Sunday afternoon with the steer slap,” Spady said.
Red Steward, AgSafeBC’s provincial ranching safety consultant, is putting on a scavenger hunt for the youth on Saturday evening and throughout the weekend there will be a silent auction that closes Sunday and a live auction held just before the champion steer class on Sunday.
Spady and her husband Dean moved to Springhouse five years ago from Mission, B.C. and purchased a portion of the Springhouse Trails Ranch.
Putting on junior steer and heifer shows was something that had been floating in the back of their minds and when they moved to the Cariboo they realized Williams Lake would be a perfect location.
“This is what we do,” she said. “Our children have been involved with 4-H engineer shows and we travel with them. B.C. really has a lack of junior shows whereas in the Prairies you can go pretty much every weekend.”
She noted there is one in Kamloops that is really well done and it has always been a goal of theirs to offer another one.
With Williams Lake being central it means youth from communities from the north don’t have as far to travel.
In 2021, Spady and her husband, along with her sister-in-law Carrie Schuurman from the Lower Mainland, Joanne Cook and Tim Cail from the Williams Lake area, formed and became directors of the Cariboo Classic Society so they could organize the shows.
“These kids work really hard all year long to prepare their animals for show and sale so we really want them to be able to have an extra opportunity,” she said. “It raises good humans and we are just really passionate about youth being part of the agriculture industry.”
Four of their own children are registered for the show and some of their older children are coming from out of town to help on the weekend.
Grateful for the community and industry support for the event, she said it has been amazing.
“It does not happen without the sponsors and they’ve been absolutely incredible. Our whole committee is blown away by the commitment of local businesses, and even provincially - the ranchers and the breeders and the Ag industry.”
Staff at the stockyards have been fabulous to work with as well, she added.
The public is invited to attend the show, admission is free.
READ MORE: 63rd annual Williams Lake and District 4-H Show and Sale a resounding success
news@wltribune.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter