Lake Earl Grange Hosts

Annual Ceremony 

To Recognize & Award Grange Youth

More than 175 participants, their close family and friends attended the awards to thank and strongly encouraged our future youthful farmers. 

Grange Youth  once again amazed our community with their perseverance, adeptness, adaptability and showmanship in raising live farm animals for prize-winning show. Not to mention the intense support provided by farmers, parents and volunteers throughout the entire length of this rigorous and demanding project.

Our Board of Supervisors titled ‘07 as “The Year Of The Child” and indeed the Lake Earl Grange turned out with their family & friends to acknowledge all whose efforts made yet another Livestock Project Year both possible & very successful.

A special thanks goes out to Dennis Gill, owner / operator of Kashmir Productions, for the production of this interview. Also, thanks to both Dennis and Jon VanAlstine for their invaluable technical advice toward posting the Pre Fair Show vids on our web site.

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Lake Earl Grange Families

Show

At Southern Oregon Junior Classic

Last weekend several Lake Earl Grange families attended the Southern Oregon Junior Classic held in Central Point Oregon.  The show was held on both Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday the Beef and Lamb show took place.  Members from our club just purchased their lamb and goat projects so they weren't ready for competition.  This year Dalton Nichols participated in the Beef Show with his two project heifers.  His registered April Sim-Angus cross heifer finished first in her class.  His May Commercial Cross Bred Heifer placed third in class.  The April heifer then competed with the other class winners and was named the Reserve Champion of her Division.  Dalton also competed in Junior Beef Showmanship and placed 5th in his round.

Sixteen Lake Earl Grange Youth Fair members also showed their hogs on Sunday.  Those who participated were:  Victor and Jonathan Martinez, Cole Harper, David and Tami Plechaty, Austin and Kyle Graves, Cody Henderson, Leighana, Dakota and Tanner Forkner, Regin Loftin, Alex, Lexi and Christopoher Acosta, and Dalton Nichols.  Members who had hogs placing in the top 10 ten within their respective classes included: 4th /Harper, 8th/A Graves, 8th/D. Plechaty, 6th/Nichols, 8th /Henderson, 4th /L Forkner, 5th /D. Forkner, 3rd&4th/ L Acosta, 6th/K. Graves, 7th/T. Forkner, 9th/Loftin, 10th V. Martinez, 8th /C. Acosta and 3rd/A. Acosta.

Swine Showmanship standouts included an 8th Place Finish in the Junior Division by Leighana Forkner, a 7th Place for Tami Plechaty in the Intermediates and Dalton Nichols who was selected at Champion Swine Showman in the 8 and Under Division.

The next competition for all of the Lake Earl Grange Youth Fair participants will be June 1st in the Grange sponsored Dairy Show, June 2nd for the Pre Fair and again on June 3rd in the Grange Livestock Show.

This year there are approximately 75-80 Lake Earl Grange youth showing hogs, about a dozen sheep projects, seven meat goats, 25 beef projects, 6 small animals (poultry and rabbits), 50 dairy heifers and about 45 youth with horses.  Lots and lots of parents are shouldering leader roles keeping the livestock healthy---vaccinations, dehorning, worming treating any sick livestock, preg checking project heifers trimming feet, getting heifers bred, teaching showmanship, leading trail rides, conducting weigh days, checking facilities and nutritional needs, helping put on the livestock and horse shows, assisting with gymkhanas, running horse camp, giving riding lessons, supervising gymkhana practices, running concessions at various events, providing transportation to and from livestock and horse shows and assisting with fundraisers.