May 4-7, 2022 we were at the Spokane Jr Livestock Show. Thursday the kids showed prospects and market. Kaine was 9^th overall and Kade was 10^th overall in market steer prospects. Anna was second in her class, so all three made it back to the championship round.  It was a deep class. The winning steer came from a really great showperson out of Montana and was a really fancy steer. In Market, Anna, Kade, Julian and Natalie all made it back to the championship round. Anna was 4^th, Kade 6^th, Natalie 11^th and Julian 12^th overall. Friday was fitting and showing, we started with juniors, both of our juniors made it back and Julian was Grand Champion and Natalie was Reserve Grand Champion. Timmy, Julian’s steer, is a great purebred Hereford steer, Julian and I decided he was our favorite of all of Julian’s steers. Natalie had a really great clubby steer form Gary Byee, who also showed really well.  Ady, Kade and Kaine are all intermediates, Kaine made it back to the championship round, Ady and Kade showed really well too, but their steers didn’t show the best. Anna is our only senior this year, she made it back and was the 5^th overall senior showman, and her steer wasn’t that great.

April 9th, 2022 we were in Pomeroy. Most of the kids made it back to the championship round, in showmanship, market, or both. Kaine was reserve champion intermediate showman. We all had a great time and it was great seeing everyone.  The weather was ok for Pomeroy, meaning it only snowed a little and was super windy. 71 head of steers were at the show and 13 heifers, so a tremendous turn-out for the time of year and weather conditions. Of course it was mostly die-hard show kids, so the classes were deep.

November 5-8, 2021 we went to the Western Showcase. Ryan Rash was the judge, we were all looking for to watching him judge, and he was fast. 5 min classes, not the normal at least 15 min. And there were lots of steers there. All of the steers showed well, and the kids all placed decent, so a good day overall, we were all happy. This was the first show for all of the steers and most of the heifers.  We had the 509 banquet Saturday night, and had a good time. Anna is a 509 ambassador for 2022, so she is really excited. She also won the Leslie Alexander award, we all tried to not tear up when Jana gave it. She had heifer of the year with 006 and won second in photography. Sunday was showmanship and heifers and fall back. ? Everyone showed great on Sunday as well. Anna had second in her class with her Traynham heifer, and everyone else placed well. Natalie and Kaine both were called back to the championship round in showmanship, but everyone really showed great. We were all happy with how well everyone did.

September 15-22, 2021 we had Adams County Fair. Wednesday we had market and heifers. Anna was grand champion in Market with Pumpkin and Kade was reserve with Kid Curry aka Silver. Kaine took his homegrown, he was a good steer, just not a show steer.  We had lots of kids in the championship round. Next we had the heifer show, FFA, 4H then Open. Anna was reserve champion overall with her Angus heifer, Beth.  This was Beth’s first show, as she is a 2021 AI calf. She was a rockstar other than a few kicking incidents.  Kayla, Savannah and Grace, who are 2, 4 and 5 years olds, all had division champions in open. I was named the Ringmaster by the Beef Superintendent so I got to run the heifer show the way I wanted to, so it was great. Thursday was fitting and showing. The kids all showed great. They all made it back to the championship round, even Kaine with his steer that had no experience. I would just like to say that Kaine handled the steer like a pro, even when the steer wasn’t cooperating.  Anna was Grand Champion Senior showman, Kade was Grand Champion Intermediate showman and Julian was Grand Champion Jr Showman. Anna was also overall 4H showman and Judge Toth said if he had a reserve it would have been Julian (Kade also showed very well in the final drive). Then Kayla and Savannah went and showed PeeWee sheep with the Shattucks. They had A LOT of fun, so Savannah helped them put away the lambs.  The kids had round robin Friday at noon, and then an awards ceremony after, to find out how they did in the round robin and get their awards. At the awards ceremony the kids found out that Fedex had lost their belt buckles. Julian was devastated, it is his first one and he was really looking forward to it. Anna won the senior division of the round robin.

The week of September 8-12, 2021 we had CBJLS. The kids had market classes on Thursday, they all did great. Natalie and Kaine made it back to the championship round, and Kaine was Reserve champion. All of the kids showed great. On Friday the kids had Fitting and Showing. They started with oldest to youngest, FFA then down to PeeWees. Anna was Reserve Champion Senior, Kaine was Grand Champion Intermediate, Kade was 3^rd overall.  Natalie was Grand Champion Jr and Julian was Reserve Grand Champion Jr. All of the kids showed great. Then we had PeeWees, Kayla showed Kade’s steer, Hannibal Hays, and Savannah showed Jaxsen’s steer, Big Boy Brad. Then Big Boy Brad and Kaine’s steer, Ike, were used in adult showmanship, where Toni won and Wes was reserve. Friday night was the Round Robin, it was great, 3 out of the 4 winners were beef kids, George Dress, Kaine and Natalie, we are proud of all of them. We all had a great time, getting to see some great friends that we only see at CBJLS.

The week of August 23-29th is the Benton Franklin County Fair, commonly known as the Best Week of Summer. Tuesday was market, Anna was showing FFA, and her and Cupid were Reserve Champion in market. This is Anna’s first year showing FFA and she did great. The coolest part is that Cupid is a calf she raised out of her cow, so a bred and owned calf. It is always awesome to win, but to win with a calf you raised out of your own cow is even cooler. Jaxsen won his class and got to come back, Kaine was third. Kade and Ady also won their classes and got to come back. Ady was Reserve Champion 4H. All of the kids did a great job. Wednesday was showmanship and then open cattle. FFA was first again, Anna was Grand Champion and got to go to the round robin. My boy Kelten was Reserve Champion Senior. Kaine made it back to the championship round in Intermediate, Kade’s steer, Clark, did not like the pigs and was next to them. So he did not do great in showmanship and was middle of the class.  Jaxsen, Natalie and another member of our 4H group, Emmet, all made it back to the championship round in Jrs. Natalie was grand and Emmet Reserve, all of the kids showed great. Ady and Julian also did a great job, their steers just were not working with them. Then we had PeeWees and the kids all showed their heifers.  We also had some good friends bring their kids in to show as well, so we had a full pee wee class. Kasen’s heifer, Peanut Butter, was grand champion Hereford heifer. Anna’s heifer, Belle Star (or 6 like we all call her) was Grand Champion Angus heifer and overall heifer. Kade’s heifer Vixen was Grand Champion AOB heifer. Jay’s bull, who Toni wants to steal, was Grand Champion Hereford bull and Supreme Champion Bull.  Toni told Joe he looked bad and that Joe should just give the bull to her. We convinced her that Joe will probably just let her borrow him so she can stop trying to convince him his favorite bull isn’t any good.

July 31st – Aug 1st we were at the Sagebrush show in Ritzville. Saturday we had the steer show in the afternoon, so we did not have to get up too early, just around 6, and then got all 20 head washed. The steer show was good and Kicker got there in time to watch. Kade got first in his class and made it back to the championship round. Kade, Anna, Kaine, Ady, Natalie, Julian and Brad all made it back to the feeder steer class and Ady was 4^th overall. Anna was 4^th in the char class and Kade was 5^th. Sunday we were up early since we had showmanship and the heifer class. Peewees were first, so Kasen, Savannah and Kayla. Macey, Josslin’s daughter, showed Kayla’s heifer Rosey is the advanced PeeWee class. Then we had Juniors, Ady, Jaxsen and Julian all made it back to the championship round, Natalie also showed really well, her heifer was just being a pill. Ady was Reserve champion and Julian was in the top 5. Kade and Anna made it back to the championship round for intermediates, Kaine and Addy also showed really well but did not make it back. McCall made it back in the championship round, McKenna and Brad did a great job showing, and this was Brad first time showing a steer, so he did an exceptional job. The heifer show was good too. McCall’s heifer that she took to Jr Nationals in Nebraska won her class and Kasen’s heifer Peanut Butter got second in hers, so they both made it back to the final drive. The rest of the heifers showed great and stood all right in their class. Everyone had a great time. Grandma, Joe, mom, dad, Mar and Ben even all made it down to watch.  Lots and lots of people showed up to support Alan and this show, to show their affection for Leslie Alexander. There were 133 entries and so many spectators it was amazing, especially in light of how hot it was.  Jana did a fantastic job keeping this show moving forward. We packed up and got ready to come home. The funniest part was when Pete tried to dive his pick-up with a loaded trailer to jump the ditch and got high centered.  It took about three or four men to figure out how to get Pete unstuck. Very amusing. 

July 24-25, 2021 we were at the Summer Sizzle in Walla Walla. The three fall heifers were first, Natalie, Addy and Julian, they all did great. Then Kaine with his red clubby heifer and were followed by Anna and her Angus and Kaine and his clubby. They all did a great job. Then an hr break and steers by weight. Jaxsen had Dagger, Kaine had Kid Curry, Kaine had Ike, Anna had Sundance Kid, Aka Pumpkin, Natalie had AJ, Addy Shrek and Julian Speedy Gonzalez. Kade made it back to the championship round. Kade and Anna both had Charolais influenced steers, and Anna was Reserve champion and our cousin Parker Grand champion. Good job everyone. Sunday we had showman, youngest to oldest. So our Peewees, Kayla and Savannah, then the Jrs, Kade, Jaxsen, Natalie, Addy and Julian, Kade was Reserve champion in showmanship, Julian and Natalie also made it back.  Kaine and Anna were intermediates.

July 9th – 18th, 2021 we went to Grand Island Nebraska for the Angus Jr National Show. The kids, Jay, Leslie, Traci and I had a lot of fun in Nebraska. The kids included the Twins (McCall and McKenna), Anna, Kaine, Kade, Natalie, Savannah and Kayla. Saturday Traci, the three younger kids and I should have beaten the other 7 there by an hr, but with all of the delays they beat us there by an hr. Basically Saturday and Sunday we set up everything, washing the heifers and got ready for the week. While in Nebraska the kids participated in Livestock Judging, Kaine and Natalie both got 6^th in different divisions. Kaine and Kade were in the same division, and Kade got 29^th out of around 100 kids and Anna got 49^th in a different division out of about 150 kids. They all participated in the knowledge bowl except Natalie, and the senior team, the Twins, Kacey V. and Sydney R. made it to the final round. The final round is like a jeopardy round. The 4 younger kids did the skill a thon and the two boys did Team Sales with Cora T. and Hadlee B. They had a lot of fun. The kids also went to a social and met lots of new people. The 4 younger kids participated in the mentor program. They showed their heifers and all showed great. We shopped in the booths and had a grand time. The Twins flew back with us, and Leslie, Jay, Anna, Kaine and Kade drove back. It was actually more like 9:22 when I got home. 

 

May 20th we had an all breed jackpot. We started with PeeWees, Kasen came up and showed his heifer, in addition to Savannah and Kayla. The twins did really good, they were 3^rd and 4^th overall for Seniors, this was their heifers first show, and they were making dramatic improvements each time they went in. Anna was 3^rd overall in Intermediates. There were two classes of Jrs, Kaine, Kade and Addy were in the first one and Kaine was brought back, Kade was 3^rd and Addy was 4^th, the judge really worked them and Kade almost made it back. When the judge released the first group of kids out of the ring Addy’s heifer wanted to go with them, so she did really good the first half and then she was acted up for her the second half. But Addy handled her really well and did a great job. Jaxsen, Julian and Natalie were in the second class of Jrs. Natalie made it back and Jaxsen and Julie did not, but they all showed really well.

May 18-19th we headed to Ellensburg for the Jr Angus Preview. The kids had Team Sales and Team Fitting they participated in. The boys had a Jr team with Jaxsen, Kade, Kaine, and their friend Emmett (who is kind of like another cousin).  The boys were 1^st in Team Sales, they were all very excited, Jaxsen commented that he pulled the rest of the team, but no one really believes that since it took all of them.  The two team fitting teams did really well too. Following the contests we had showmanship. We started with PeeWees and Savannah and Kayla showed. There was only one class of Seniors, the twins showed really well. Anna was grand champion Intermediate showman. Kaine made it back to the champion round in Jr, Natalie, Jaxsen and Kade all showed really well. Saturday we had confirmation, steers were first, we only had one Angus steer, Jaxsen’s steer, Dagger. He made it back to the champion round. Kaine’s bred and owned heifer won her class and made it back. Natalie heifer made it back to the champion round, Savannah heifer was barely out, in 3^rd place. Kade and McCalls April heifers showed great (I was leading heifers up and did not see them place). Kaine’s March heifer was 4^th and I think McKenna was 5^th. Anna’s heifer was second in her class, so she made it back in. And Kade’s December heifer was a division winner.

May 28-30th, 2021, we went to Ellensburg for the Jr Angus Field Day. Anna, Kaine, Kade and Sydney Rylaarsdam competed in the fitting contest. Natalie and Jaxsen helped Eric as the judge. After that the show started, with PeeWees, then seniors, intermediates and then Juniors. All of the kids showed great, Anna was the Intermediate champion and Kade was the Jr Reserve champion. In confirmation, Jaxsen showed his steer first, he was third steer overall, and 2 months younger than the rest of the steers (in registered classes it is by age and not weight) so that was really good. Kaine had a bred and owned heifer, she was second in her class, so she went back to the championship round. Natalie and Savannah’s heifers were our first class of owned heifers. They were first and second in their classes, so both got to go back. Both of Kade’s heifers were second in their classes, so they both came back. Kaine’s Cox heifer was third in her class, so she did not get to come back. Anna’s heifers were 1^st and 5^th in their class, so one of Anna’s got to come back. All in all a great show. Then we packed up and headed home.

May 5th – 9th, 2021 we went to the Spokane jr Livestock show.  Thursday we had market and prospects in the afternoon. WA grown had asked Anna about interviewing her for the show and recording her show. So they came and did some interviews, that was fun and good for the industry and promoting the show. Prospects showed first, Anna had 3^rd overall 4H prospect, Kade was 4^th in the class and Kaine was 5^th. So not bad. Then in market everyone placed well, but no one went back. Kaine and Kade were in the lighter classes, Anna and Ady in the middle, and Grace, Adrian, Natalie and Julian were in the heavy range. Friday we had fitting and showing in the afternoon. All three of our jrs, Ady, Natalie and Julian made it back to the champion round. Julian was 4^th overall and Ady was 3^rd. Adrian, Kaine and Kade were Intermediates. Kaine made it back to the championship round. Anna and Grace were Seniors, Anna made it back was and was grand champion. All of the kids showed great and we are proud of all 8 of them. Anna, Kaine, Adrian and Grace all had steers from us.

               

April 10th, 2021 we were at the Garfield County Spring Preview. We were up half the night due to the howling winds. We woke up to wind, so we washed the steers in the wind. Then it rained, hailed and snowed, while the wind blew. Welcome to Pomeroy. Every year at this show the weather is crap.  Despite the wind and cold the kids all showed great. Anna got third in her class with Sundance Kid. Anna, Kaine, Kade, Ady and Julian went back into the championship round in showmanship. Savannah and Kayla got to show in PeeWee. And Savannah picked out the grey/blue pig she wanted.  We were told there were 83 head of cattle at the show and 50 some pigs for the jackpot pig show going on at the same time. The show was great and we all had a great time. We got to see people and catch up.

Saturday November 7th, 2020, Leslie, Traci, Anna, Kaine, Kade, Julian, Ady, Natalie, Marlo, Ben and I went to the Western Showcsae Jackpot, held in Eltopia, WA in 2020 due to COVID. There were LOTS of cattle at the show since there was actually a show. Steers were first, Kaine got second in his class and went back to the championship round, the classes were huge. Ady steer got 10^th, Julian 8^th and Natalie 11^th. There was lots of competition. Then the heifers, Kade heifer Calamity Jane was first, the heifers we had bought were a little thinner then show shape, so they did not place super, but they acted great so we considered that a win. Then Kaine and Anna with Alanis and Belle Starr, and then Kade and Anna with Vixen and Lottie Dino. Lottie was 4^th in her class, Vixen and Lottie were heifers we raised so that was great. Ady showed Emmy and she got 2^nd in her class, Emmy is Savannah’s heifer, but Savannah is a PeeWee so could not show her in the breeding class. So Emmy and Ady got to go back to the championship round. In showmanship, Savannah showed Emmy in PeeWee, and did AWESOME. Kade showed Calamity, and got called back, Kaine showed Alanis, and she showed great, but Kaine did not watch her feet good enough, but he still did a good job. Natalie showed Rocky (her steer not our old bull), Julian showed the Flash and Ady showed Emmy, who was now tired and cranky. Anna showed Lottie, who was also tired and cranky. Overall, everyone did awesome.

Saturday Aug 22nd, 2020 we went to the Corona Classic Protest. Bill Cox was the judge, we had 2 peewees, 4 juniors and 4 intermediate showman. Everyone did great and all of the animals showed well.  It was our last real show of the year, so we turned the show heifers out when we got home. They thought that was great until it was feeding time, then not so happy. They came up behind my house and wanted to know where the grain was hiding.

Monday August 17th, 2020 was a great day, even though it was HOT. We were at a secret steer show, and the kids had a blast. Anna was grand champion in Market, Kade was Reserve, Ady was third in the same class they were in, Julian was 4^th in his class, and Kaine was 5^th. In Fitting and Showing, Ady was Grand champion Jr Showman, Julian and Chicken Nugget did Great, Kaine was Grand Champion Showman, Anna was Reserve, and Kade showed so well he also had him in the championship picture and had him come back to the overall class. Anna, Kaine and Kade were in the top 5 showman out of all ages. Toni and I competed in the adult showmanship, I thought that Freddy was going to die from the heat, the poor guy was panting, but Toni and Goldmember were Grand champion and she got a whole bucket full of stuff, and Andy Williams was Reserve, Freddy and I were in the top 5, along with Lori Williams and Floyd Lewis.

Due to COVID-19, 2020 was a much different year, we learned how to show in virtual shows, the Spokane Jr Livestock show was canceled in May. Most shows in WA were canceled in person, however, we did travel to Idaho a few times and show. Below are some pictures from the virtual shows.

Saturday July 4th, 2020, Happy 4^th everyone, Ben, Anna, Kaine, Kade, McKenna and I headed to New Plymouth to a livestock show. They started with showmanship, oldest to youngest, so McKenna and Foxy were first, they did great, it was a really hard class. Then Intermediates, Kaine and Austin and Anna and Freddy were both in the same class and made it back to the championship round. Lastly Kade was a Jr in Idaho, him and Goldmember were awesome and were the champion Jr showman, and 4^th overall for all ages. Next was Market, Anna and Kaine were both third in their class and Kade was fourth, they all showed really good. Kaine was asked to show someone else’s steer too, since there were two in the same class, and he did a great job showing that steer as well. McKenna and Foxy were 4^th in their breeding class, but we had a lot of complements outside the ring about Foxy, and she was recognized from her Sasquatch Showdown win video. There were a couple of WA kids there, and 4 in the 509 show circuit, and all of them made it at least back to the championship round, and two won their divisions, we are happy and proud of all of the kids.