SOUTH BEND — A few hours before the Wednesday night contests, the stables at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fairgrounds are busy with teenagers brushing their horses. Savannah Metoyer tends to Nala, whose mane she has braided neatly with blue rubber bands. Horse and owner look perfectly in sync.
But it hasn’t always been this way. Four years ago, when Metoyer competed in her first 4-H fair as a freshman at Adams High School, Nala fell on her and broke Metoyer’s wrist.
“I was kind of scared to keep going with her and it set me back six months,” Metoyer said. “Being in 4-H taught me to have a lot of patience.”
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Metoyer is one of several kids from 4-H clubs representing townships all across St. Joseph County who competed to show animals like pygmy goats, donkeys, sheep, rabbits, swine and dairy cows at the 99th iteration of the fair. Many echoed her and said that the process of feeding, grooming and training an animal for competition involves patience and perseverance.
Metoyer, a rising senior, and Nala have moved far past the broken wrist and have since won several competitions together. This year at the fair, Nala was named Champion in the Keyhole, Barrels and Speed and Action events of the senior division.
Raising Nala for the last four years has meant that Metoyer rides almost every day. She feeds Nala grain, a flake of hay at night and nutritional supplements to help with the horse’s skin and joints. The riding session includes specific drills when racing season approaches.
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“She has a pretty tight workout schedule,” Metoyer said, laughing.
Taking care of Nala has fostered a passion for veterinary science in Metoyer, and she’s considering whether she wants to study large animals, small animals or just horses when she goes to college next year.
“Purdue has a really good vet school, especially for equine, which intrigued me,” Metoyer said.
‘If I’m nervous, they’re nervous’
For other animals, such as sheep and dairy cows, competitions don’t involve racing and jumping and instead involve walking the animals around the ring and having them hold in position for judges to examine their muscles.
For Elizabeth Applegate, 16, this has meant traveling from her home in Mishawaka to a farm in North Liberty where she keeps Daytona, her sheep. Applegate would go to the farm at 7 a.m. to feed hay to Daytona and then return at 5 p.m. after school.
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She also learned to wash, blow dry and shear Daytona. As competition approached, Applegate would get her sheep ready by walking her and getting her used to a halter. Applegate said that the biggest thing she learned about raising a sheep was recognizing their different attitudes and being patient.
“I have to stay calm in order for them to stay calm," she said. "If I'm nervous, they're nervous.”
Carrying on the family legacy
Georgia Pogue, 18, a recent graduate of Penn High School, grew up going to open livestock shows and later, her older brother’s 4-H cattle shows. She’s been a member of 4-H for 10 years and started taking care of animals to show in competition when she was in the third grade.
She said that since she began showing cattle, her family switched over to raising a new breed. She said that this allowed her to learn on her own while still having the support of family members if she needed it.
“I’ve raised all of the ones from the new breed, and the calves from that herd are doing well,” Pogue said.
Pogue said that being a member of 4-H has taught her to work hard.
“When you really put in time for your animals … it pays off when the show comes around,” she said.
The St. Joseph County 4-H Fair
■ Where: St. Joseph County 4-H Fairgrounds, 5117 S. Ironwood Road, South Bend
■ When: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily through July 6.
■ Cost: Free from 7 to 9 a.m.; $5 through close; free for ages 8 and younger and police officers, firefighters, EMTs and active military members.
■ For more information: Call 574-291-4870 or visit 4hfair.com.
St. Joseph County 4-H Fair animal exhibits
The 4-H exhibit hall is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day of the fair. Go to 4hfair.com for the full schedule of fair events and locations for each animal contest.
July 4
■ 8 a.m.: Rabbit Judging
■ 9 a.m.: Horse & Pony Trail, Reins of Life, Horsemanship
■ 10 a.m. to noon: Livestock Skillathon Contest
■ 2 p.m.: Pee Wee Sheep Show
■ 5 p.m.: Horse & Pony Contesting
■ 7 p.m.: Rabbit Hopping Contest
July 5
■ 9 a.m.: Horse & Pony Versatility, Costume Class, Freestyle Reining
■ 10:30 a.m.: Livestock Auction
■ 5 p.m.: Horse & Pony Contesting
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