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4-H Scrambles provide fun on a
muggy night
[August 01, 2025]
Halfway through fair week, the
4-H scrambles allow children a chance to blow off some steam while
they attempt to catch an animal.
In the scrambles children are organized by age groups and work to
catch different sizes and types of animals turned loose.
With a torrential downpour in the morning, the scrambles had to be
moved into the show barn, which made for tight quarters.
Before the scrambles, LDN’s own Lesleigh Bennett sang the National
Anthem.
The announcers were Reagan Tibbs and Jayden Lawrence.
New fair royalty Queen Julia, Junior Miss Courtney and Little Miss
Vayda were also on hand to lead the Pledge of Allegiance and 4-H
pledge.
It was then time for the chicken
scramble for youngsters between the ages of five and eight. This
year, due to concerns about the avian flu, children had to pick up
plastic eggs, so egg scramble might be a more appropriate term. As
kids ran around the barn, someone in a chicken costume danced around
the kids to the song Chicken Dance.
Next, twelve youngsters between the
ages of eight and ten tried to rope one of the six sly goats
scrambling around the track. One wily goat snuck under the gate and
had to be taken back to the track. Several grappled with the goats
as they tried to get the rope around their necks to catch them.
Finally, all six goats were caught.
Twelve pre-teens and young teens
between the age of ten and fifteen attempted to catch pigs lathered
up with conditioner by the newly crowned fair royalty. Participant’s
arms are covered with soap suds to make it even more tricky. The
greasy little squealers often slipped out of the kids’ grasps, but
finally they were all rounded up.
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For the final and, most exciting
part, of the evening, fourteen youth between the ages of twelve and
eighteen participated in a calf scramble, struggling to harness a
feisty calf that may weigh up to 350 pounds.
Those who caught a calf get to keep them and raise them for next
year’s steer competition which is judged during the scrambles. Some
calves played “hard to get” as they tried to wrangle away before
finally being roped.
These calves will be brought back to be judged at next year’s
scrambles.
Last year’s winners brought their calves back to be judged on
fitting, grooming, confirmation, record keeping and showmanship.
Ryan Wrage won the record keeping award.
This year’s overall winner for the steer competition was Ryder
Conrady.
In between scrambles, several were recognized for various
accomplishments.
The Ross Conrady scholarship was awarded to 4-H member Sophia
Schneider.
Arianna Morris received the 4-H
Scholarship.
Graduating seniors in 4-H included Kristy Morrow and Alex Steffens.
Reed Naughton was another scholarship winner.
As usual, the evening’s events were lively and entertaining with the
children scrambling to catch the animals and thoroughly enjoying
themselves. For the award winners, the memories of their time in 4-H
will likely last for many years.
[Angela Reiners]
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