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Without
any warning, the show began with the silent entry of the lone Dog
Care class contestant. This magnificent animal stood there,
completely docile, while the judge meticulously checked that the dog
had been well cared for: a clean, unmatted coat, trimmed nails,
clean ears and clear eyes. When the examination was finished, he
announced only two things that led to points being deducted: a few
fly bites on the ears and a bit of tartar growth on the teeth. Other
than that, the creature seemed to be exceptionally well taken care
of, and the grinning boy was given his award to much applause.
Fifteen
minutes had passed since the show began, and the masses had become
restless. The crowd was hungry for real meat. Without a doubt, it
was time for the Obedience class to show what they could do.
The
14 dogs, followed by their respective trainers, filed into the
arena, where they were given lengthy instructions on what they were
to do when it their turn arrived. From what I could hear, the
instructions had a faintly militant tone to them: sit, stand, heel,
about face, slow, run, walk. The trainers understood what they were
told, but the dogs were clearly not so easy to reach — maybe it
was the heat. The dogs bore the same expression in their eyes, as if
questioning the reasons for their presence there: OK,
you want me to do what? Sit, walk forward, heel, turn left, walk,
then run, then turn around, and walk back? Got it. I can play the
bagpipes as well. Would you like me to play the bagpipes for you?
Maybe I can prepare you a spot of tea while I’m at it?
Of
course, the dogs’ mocking glances toward the judge were nothing
compared to their harsh comments towards their trainers: Ouch,
stop pulling on my chain, boss! Keep that up, and I might just sit
down and never get up again! Oh, you want to test me? I’m sitting
down, I’m going to do it, and I mean it this time, I will! Come
on, all I want is some attention! Do I really need to act like this
in order for you to love me?
[to top of second column in
this article]
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To
those watching the dogs perform, it was evident that they all did
want to please their masters. They would plod along merrily, heeling
and sitting when instructed. Occasionally, when they were to walk
around two men in a figure eight, they would start sniffing at the
dog hair smell on one of the men chosen to play the posts.
Clay
Glover, show supervisor and trainer, told me that with the way some
of the dogs had behaved during the first days of training — some
hyper to the point of needing Valium — their performance at the
show was amazing. I had to agree, even though I had not seen them
during their training. While some of the dogs seemed a trifle
high-strung at times, all of them very clearly belonged at the show.
Four
hours and 14 individual performances later, the contestants were
divided into two groups of seven. Each group was to perform a long
sit, for one minute, and a long lay, for three minutes. Some of the
dogs had no problem with these exercises: OK, I’ll stay. Hey,
this is actually pretty decent! No parading around, getting hot and
tired. Just sit here and wait. No problem. Others, however, were
less eager and promptly disobeyed their masters’ commands:
Don’t leave me! I’m sorry about not sitting still earlier! I’ll
be a good doggie, but please don’t leave me! That dog over there
is giving me dirty looks! Help!
After
all was said and done, nearly five hours after the start of the
show, the dogs came into the arena one last time, as a group, each
of them on equal footing, knowing that they had done their best. Only
one winner is chosen from each of four classes. For each, as they
heard their number called, trainer and dog proudly stepped forward,
the camera flashed, and they were the winners in the Logan County
2001 4-H Dog Show this Saturday, Aug. 28.
[Jonathan
Cook]
[Click
here to see results of the 4-H Dog Show]
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Foods
Delegates
Chris
Ackerman, Lincoln; Food Preservation
Emily
Bakken, Lincoln; Dairy Foods, Breads and Cereals, and International
Foods
Elizabeth
Carter, Lincoln; Food Preservation
Abby
Coers, Chestnut; Fruits & Vegetables
Natalie
Coers, Emden; International Foods, and Breads and Cereals
[Foods delegates chosen to represent Logan County 4-H
at the Illinois State Fair are (back row, L to R) Elizabeth Carter,
Chris Ackerman, Jennifer Schahl, Krista Ubbenga, Angela Cunningham
and Natalie Coers; (front row, L to R) Jill Patrick, Jenna Opperman,
Kim Turner, Emily Bakken and Abby Sasse. Not pictured: Laura Schahl
and Abby Coers.]
Angela
Cunningham, Elkhart; Breads and Cereals
Jenna
Opperman, Lincoln; You Learn to Bake
Jill
Patrick, New Holland; Sports Nutrition, Food Demonstration
Abrigail
Sasse, Beason; Breads and Cereals, Fruits and Vegetables, and
International Foods
Jennifer
Schahl, Lincoln; International Foods
Laura
Schahl; Lincoln, Let’s Start Cooking
Kim
Turner, Atlanta; International Foods
Krista
Ubbenga, Hartsburg; Breads and Cereals, Food Preservation, and
Fruits and Vegetables
Alternates
Benjamin
Buse, Beason; Exploring Food Heritage
Elizabeth
Carter, Lincoln; Exploring Food Heritage
Susan
Cochran, Mount Pulaski; Fruits and Vegetables
Jonathon
Davis, New Holland; Tricks for Treats I
Amanda
Davison, Beason; Dairy Foods
Holly
Ingram, Lincoln; Fruits and Vegetables
Allicent
Pech, Lincoln; Sports Nutrition
[Foods
category alternates chosen are (L to R) Holly Ingram, Allicent Pech,
Elizabeth Carter, Amanda Davison and Susan Cochran.
Not pictured: Jonathon
Davis and Benjamin Buse.]
Top
Foods 4-H’ers in Logan County
The
following 4-H’ers were chosen as top individuals in Foods. These
4-H’ers will compete for an overall county award which will be
presented at the 4-H Achievement Night in November.
Chris
Ackerman, Lincoln; Food Preservation
Emily
Bakken, Lincoln; Dairy Foods, Breads and Cereals, and International
Foods
Elizabeth
Carter, Lincoln; Food Preservation
Abby
Coers, Chestnut; Fruits and Vegetables
Natalie
Coers, Emden; International Foods, and Breads and Cereals
Angela
Cunningham, Elkhart; Breads and Cereals
Jenna
Opperman, Lincoln; You Learn to Bake
Jill
Patrick, New Holland; Sports Nutrition, and Food Demonstration
Abrigail
Sasse, Beason; Breads and Cereals, Fruits and Vegetables, and
International Foods
Jennifer
Schahl, Lincoln; International Foods
Laura
Schahl, Lincoln; Let’s Start Cooking
Kim
Turner, Atlanta; International Foods
Krista
Ubbenga, Hartsburg; Breads and Cereals, Food Preservation, and
Fruits and Vegetables
Click
here for complete results of the 4-H Food and Nutrition Show.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Home
and Family Show
At
the Home and Family Show, a number of 4-H’ers were chosen as award
winners and to go on to the Illinois State Fair. These individuals
are listed below.
Bethany
Furman, Waynesville — Sewing and Textiles I Construction Award
Allicent
Pech, Lincoln — Sewing and Textiles II Construction Award
Krista
Ubbenga, Hartsburg — Sewing and Textiles III Construction Award
Leila
Ballinger, Atlanta — 4-H Fashion Revue Award
Nichole
Benz, Lincoln — Special Sewing and Textiles Award
Colleen
Pech, Lincoln — Special Sewing and Textiles Award
Sewing and Textiles
Delegates
Leila
Ballinger, Sewing and Textiles III
Bethany
Furman, Sewing and Textiles I
Leanna
Gleason, Sewing and Textiles II
Allicent
Pech, Sewing and Textiles II
Abrigail
Sasse, Sewing and Textiles III
Krista
Ubbenga, Sewing and Textiles III
Marjorie
White, Sewing and Textiles II
[Clothing and Textiles delegates are (L to R)
Allicent Pech, Leila Ballinger, Bethany Furman, Krista Ubbenga,
Marjorie White, Abby Sasse and Leanna Gleason.]
Alternates
Emily
Bakken, Sewing and Textiles III
Katelyn
Beavers, Sewing and Textiles II
Abby
Coers, Sewing and Textiles II
Amanda
Davison, Sewing and Textiles III
Rachael
Jones, Sewing and Textiles I
Kim
Turner, Sewing and Textiles II
[Clothing and Textiles alternates are (L to R) Amanda
Davison, Rachael Jones, Katelyn Beavers, Emily Bakken, Kim Turner
and Abby Coers.]
Fashion Revue
Delegates
Emily
Bakken, Lincoln
Leila
Ballinger, Atlanta
Katelyn
Beavers, Broadwell
Krista
Ubbenga, Hartsburg
Alternates
Leanna
Gleason, Elkhart
Allicent
Pech, Lincoln
Marjorie
White, Beason
Interior Design
Delegates
Bethany
Furman, Waynesville; Beginning
Sarah
Moore, Elkhart, Beginning
Jenna
Opperman, Lincoln; Beginning
[Interior Design delegates are (L to R) Bethany
Furman, Sarah Moore and Jenna Opperman.]
Child Care
Delegates
Mary
Healy, Middletown; Child Development III
Michelle
Johnson, Latham; Child Development II
Krista
Ubbenga, Hartsburg, Child Development II
[Child Development delegates are (L to R) Mary Healy
and Krista Ubbenga. Not pictured: Michelle Johnson.]
Click
here for complete results of the Logan County 4-H Home and Family
Show.
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