Printable Versioin of 2024 Joint Livestock Minutes (Word)

FALLON COUNTY JOINT LIVESTOCK COMMITTEE

OCOTBER 7, 2024

Present: Stephanie Crisler (Red Butte Ramblers), Levi Formen (Guest), Dave Kirschten (Extension), Amanda and Mia Klaboe (Guest), Charlotte, Jeannine, Matthew, and Molly Losing (Red Butte Ramblers), Ashlee Moore (Tumbling Tumbleweeds), Kodie Olsen (Extension), Wanda Pinnow (Tumbling Tumbleweeds), Emory and Scott Rieger (Red Butte Ramblers), Brezden and Shantel Sander (Country Pals), Katrinka Scherman (Kidz-N-Kritters), Missy Thielen (Country Pals), Jennefer Wheeler (Fairgrounds), and Abbey Wolenetz (Baker FFA).

The meeting was called to order at 5:33 pm by chairman Wanda Pinnow. The pledges were led by Brezden and Matthew. Missy made a motion to approve the July minutes as presented and Shantel seconded. The motion passed.

Extension Report: Kodie let the committee know that there will be a winner in each species for the golden pitchfork award and those awards will be given at achievement night. Kodie asked the committee if they had any ideas for upcoming workshops that they would like to see offered and if they did to please pass them on to the Extension office. Kodie reminded the committee that enrollments are open on Zsuites and that returning members need to be re-enrolled by December 1.

Fair Board Report: Jennefer told the group that she had received positive feedback on how set-up and tear down was done this year. Jennefer asked the leaders to please remind their members to cash their fair checks as soon as possible. Jennefer informed the group that the fairgrounds will be covering the arena 2 weeks prior to fair to avoid the arena being wet. Groups will still have access to the track but will not have access to the arena once it is covered.

Old Business: Kodie asked the committee their thoughts on how the barn was set up this year. Kodie asked the committee if they would be interested in presenting to the fair board the idea of adding an addition to the north side of the barn that could be used for swine. There was discussion on the weather and how that would be handled as that area tends to get the rain the most when we get rain. Kodie told the committee that at the Carter County fairgrounds they use a screen type material to line the back of their swine pens and it helps block the sun and could possibly keep the rain from coming in so hard. It was also discussed that the heat might be an issue and possible ways of keeping everything cool. Dave and Kodie can speak with the fair board and get their thoughts on this idea at their next meeting. Wanda asked the committee for their thoughts on the livestock buyer’s gifts this year and the committee stated that they were well received by the buyers. Jennefer stated that a lot of people are interested in the T-shirts that the exhibitors get and ask her where they can get one. The committee discussed that we could possibly sell them through the food booth. Kodie asked the committee what their thoughts were on the schedule and location of the livestock pictures, the majority stated that they liked the pictures being taken after the youth leave the sale ring. The location did not work well as it required that the big door had to be closed and it was too hot during the sale. Scott had a suggestion on how to make weigh-ins go faster, he discussed the possibility of having more scales brought in so that more animals can be weighed at one time. Dave presented the suggestions that Paul Berger, Barn Superintendent, had. Paul would like to see the youth do more of the care for their animals such as fitting, cleaning the pens, and feeding. The committee asked what the current rule was and Wanda read the current rule on that matter.  CARE OF ANIMALS: 4-H and FFA youth are personally responsible for their animals the entire time the animals are on the Fallon County Fairgrounds. This includes the caring, fitting, feeding, showing, selling and loading out of animals on Sunday. If you are unable to carry out this responsibility, prior arrangements must be made and the County Extension Agent must be informed to be eligible to sell any animal species at next year’s 4-H/FFA Youth Livestock Sale. (2012) All animals should show evidence of grooming and fitting.  Stephanie made a motion to recommend to the council that we no longer require vet checks at the fair, Molly seconded, and the motion passed.

New Business:  Kodie presented the idea of having a rodeo county project due to offering rodeo events at fair and that youth are having to use a project horse to compete in those events. This presents a problem for those youth as their horses are either good at horsemanship or good at rodeo events. Abbey made a motion to recommend to the council that this project be added to our county offered projects. Ashlee seconded the motion, and the motion passed.  Kodie and Dave presented their idea of utilizing the Friday that the youth don’t have school and offering project workshops on those days. Kodie asked the committee if they would be willing to make a recommendation to the council to consider allowing these workshops to count towards the activity requirements. Missy made a motion to recommend to the council that the Extension led workshops will count toward the members’ activity requirements in all levels, Molly seconded, and the motion passed. Missy discussed the possibility of adjusting the activity requirements and Dave thought by offering these workshops that it may fix any issues that they may be having with the requirements. The committee decided to have beef weigh-ins on December 30 from 9-11 am and the Extension office will contact Dean Wang to see if we could use his scale. Shantel made a motion to elect Wanda as the chairman of the Joint Livestock Committee, Ashlee seconded, and the motion passed. Abbey made a motion to elect Ashlee as the secretary of the Joint Livestock Committee, Shantel seconded, and the motion passed.

 

With no further business Wanda adjourned the meeting. The next quarterly meeting of the Fallon County Joint Livestock Committee will be held January 13, 2025 at 5:30 pm.