• Elsinore Valley 4H

It was a great honor for Wildomar Rap to be invited out to the SoCal Fair, to see Elsinore Valley 4H Club in action. It was a perfect day for exhibiting livestock, not too hot, not too windy... just right.

We got there as the goats were finishing up but did have a chance to watch both the FFA and 4H exhibit their lambs (or are they referred to as sheep?).

If you've never seen how these animals are exhibited, let me suggest that you put that on your to-do list. Some of them are very fiesty and the kids (human kids that is) are sometimes not much larger than their animals.

The goats did have leads, but the lambs were led by their heads, with nothing more than the exhibitor's hands as restraints... and these weren't Little Bo Peep's little lambs. These animals were all over 100 pounds.

I've included a short video that gives a small taste of how the exhibitors comport themselves while in the arena. You'll notice that they keep their eyes on the judge as much as they can. Also, they are supposed to stay on the opposite side of their animal as the judge is on.

After the exhibition was over I had a chance to chat with four of the local 4H members, and pepper them with questions.

Aspen has been in 4H for three years. She spends about 30 minutes a day with her animals. She has a chicken named Cora and a Turkey named Bloom. She's had four different animals during her time in 4H and her favorite part is camping with her friends and family.

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Wade has been in 4H for 4 years. Spends between half an hour and an hour with his animals every day. His goat, Pachino, is about nine months old. He's had about 11 animals —exhibiting about eight times— during his time with 4H, and his favorite part of the club is spending time with the animals and hanging out with friends.

Q: How do you think your experience in 4H will impact your adult life?
A: I have a lot more respect for the animals and their surroundings, because you get to learn about them and the environment.

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Sammy has been in 4H for 4 years. He spends about four hours a day with his animals. He has a goat named Poisedeon and a steer named Snoopy.

He's had about ten animals —exhibiting about nine times— while a member of 4H and cites "The experience" as what he likes best.

Q: Tell me about the first time you exhibited.
A: My first time was pretty scary. Once you first get your animal —and when you first come to the fair— and when you're about to show, but you ease into it by [the time of your] second animal.

Q: How do you think your experience in 4H will impact your adult life?
A: It teaches you how to be a leader.

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Bryanna has been in 4H for five years. She spends about an hour a day with her animals. She has a sheep named Lemondrop and has had about twelve animals —exhibiting about thirteen times— while being in 4H.

Her favorite part of the program is the relationships that develop. "We have our club and we're super close, and then at the fairs you meet everyone [from other areas] and you get close to all the people."

Q: Tell me a little about exhibiting an animal.
A: My first animal stands out for me... because it was a different experience... because going in the ring you're really nervous, but once you get out you feel a lot better and more confident. Your second animal is a lot easier for you to do.

Q: How do you think your experience in 4H will impact your adult life and career choices?
A: I've always loved animals, so when I started 4H I instantly knew —when I'm older— I'm going to be a veterinarian.

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I asked the parents a bit more about 4H. 

Who is 4H for?
"It's a youth organization that services ages 5 to 19, and not only for agriculture but there's welding, cooking, science, jewelry, leadership, archery [among other things]. [Our group has] sheep, swine, beef, goats." 

I asked what is required to be part of 4H and they don't have "typical requirements." To be part of 4H you need to go to the meetings, which are about once a month, and have projects that you are involved in.

If a child lives in a subdivision, but still would like to do a livestock project, they need to be part of LEUSD so they can keep the animal at Elsinore High School. It's not as easy as having your own pasture, but where there's a will there's a way.

I noticed that there were two distinctive groups exhibiting their livestock at the fair; 4H and FFA. 

The difference between the two, from what I could gather, is that one is open to those as young as five years old, the other (FFA) is run through the school district and is typically for high schoolers and focuses mostly on agriculture.

I can say that in my time as Mr. Wildomar Rapman I've had the privilege of meeting many people, and quite a few of those have been young people. 

Just like with those that are in scouting, the 4H kids seem better equipped around adults —more mature— compared to their counterparts that aren't in such programs. 

It's not as if they're automatons, they're still kids with kid's ideas, but they also can have a conversation with an adult while keeping eye contact.

If you'd like more info on Elsinore Valley 4H (which stretches as far north as Horsethief Canyon) give Cindy Stinson a call at (714) 624-4148. 

Below is a short video of EV 4H Club while at the September city council meeting.

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It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man.
― Benjamin Franklin

Wildomar Rap has tried herding cats, and let me assure you —it's for the birds.