Hard work makes animals beautiful
Walking backward as they led their cows, students seem to dance a strange tango.
Alongside students with other animals, they were showing their prized creatures off to the show’s judge Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Gilmer County Agricultural Education Center.
The event included students from Gilmer, Fannin, Pickens, Dawson and Cherokee counties.
“She was tough in the beginning, but then I got her a little bit more calm,” said freshman Cece Miller, one Gilmer student showing her cow, Perry.
“Dancing” with cows is just one of the unusual skills students have to learn to get animals show-ready.
They must also learn to vacuum sheep, moisturize pigs, hose down goats and more.
“Each animal requires a different routine,” Gilmer junior Cassie Norman said.
For any animal to appear before a judge with shining skin, perfect hair and an obedient demeanor, animals require long preparation.
“For the goats, we have to wash them, blow-dry them, put a bunch of product in there, brush it, and then blow-dry them again,” Norman said.
In the process, students learn a lot about animals.
“Pigs and goats are a lot smarter than people give them credit for,” Norman said.
For instance, pigs are capable of taking their feed baskets off clips.
Every year, cows need to learn how to trust their owners and respond to their lead.
Getting Perry the cow willing to be led required “working with her every single day,” Miller said. “It’s really about putting pressure on them that gets them to understand that you are in control.”
When Miller leads Perry, the enormous cow follows her lead.
This season, students achieved remarkable things, Gilmer County FFA Advisor Michael Bushey said.
“I’m really proud of the quality of kids, the quality of families and the quality of also livestock that our kids show,” he said.
Their performance Saturday was a team effort with full support from the community.
Support from families, sponsors, the Board of Education and Gilmer County Schools all helped students to bring their animals to the show in top condition.
Agriculture teacher Katelyn Smith and FFA advisors David Bushey and Shelby Merrell were also instrumental in helping the students succeed.
From Gilmer, several students won prizes.
Rydlee Ponder, Miller, Landon Benitez, Ava Smith, Mac Burnette, Jilly Burnette, Will Dean, Cash Mooney, Morgan Mooney and Saylor Clinard all won honors at the show.
These Gilmer students will compete at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Georgia on Oct. 3-4 and from Oct. 9-11.
“A lot of those animals did quite well in this local show, but they’ll also do very well at the state show in Perry,” Bushey said.