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Abby McDougal (By MyLinh Hoang / July 23, 2012) |
Many youngsters these days spend a chunk of their time immersed in technology.
Abby McDougal, 11, of Smithsburg, said Monday that she enjoys spending time with her cows.
“They’re big for me, so it’s kind of hard to show,” said Abby, who was at the Washington County Ag Expo and Fair. “But, I love cows.”
Abby, the daughter of Dan and Mary McDougal, said she usually needs an adult with her when she works with bigger animals.
“I like working with smaller animals because of my size,” the pint-sized Abby said, because she can have full control of smaller animals and likes to do everything herself.
The McDougal family raises sheep, market goats, dairy goats and guinea pigs.
“It’s year-round training, so I take them for a walk around the field,” Abby said.
She said she likes to hang out with the animals.
“It’s fun and I get money,” said Abby, who noted she earned about $200 last year showing animals. “I also like working with animals because my friends and cousins do it.”
She will be in sixth grade at Smithsburg Middle School.
Tiring, but enjoyable
Grace Holder, 14, of Boonsboro, said Monday this is her first year of “leasing” and showing cows at the Washington County Ag Expo.
Grace explained that means “I go to the farm and work with the cows until showtime. ... We consider the cows our own, but we don’t really own them.”
She will be showing two cows this year, Patty and Rosey.
“We showed Patty at field day and she got fifth place for showmanship,” Grace said. “This is my first time showing Rosey at the 2012 Ag Expo.”
Grace, the daughter of Glenn and Deanna Holder, said her favorite thing about working with cows is “just the experience and being involved in new things.”
“I like being hands-on with animals since I want to be a veterinarian when I get older,” said Grace, who will be in 10th grade at Clear Spring High School in the fall.
Preparing the cows for Ag Expo involves keeping them clean, washing them and clipping them, Grace said.
“It’s pretty tiring, but I enjoy it,” Holder said.
Training is fun, cleanup is not
Sarah Krause, 15, of Clear Spring, said Monday that she enjoys getting her cows ready for the annual Ag Expo.
“Trying to train them is the most fun for me,” Sarah said. “When you first start it, it’s really difficult because you have to pull and tug on them and they just don’t go.”
Sarah said it is a very physical, hands-on activity.
“The fact that you get to do stuff with them and everything,” she said. “I love animals, so it’s a lot of fun.”
As much as she loves taking care of her cows, there is one thing she doesn’t really like.
“I don’t really like cleaning up” after them, said Sarah, who will be in 10th grade at Clear Spring High School. “It’s not fun, but it’s nature.”
She said the hard work is worthwhile.
“Money really doesn’t have anything to do with it for me,” said Sarah, the daughter of Michael and Joyce Krause. “It’s a good prize, but it’s just the fact that I interact with the animals.”
Time with Ginger
Josh Miller, 14, of Hagerstown has been raising Ginger for three years and showing her for two years, including at this year’s Ag Expo.
When it comes to preparing for the ag expo, Josh said Monday, “It’s kind of fun, but it’s hard, too.”
He said it takes 15 to 30 minutes to wash Ginger.
It is really just the simple joy of being around Ginger that he likes.
“I really like having Ginger here at the expo and showing her,” he said. “It’s fun.”
Josh’s favorite thing is walking the cows around and showing them.
Before that can happen, the cows have to be trained throughout the year.
“When I train the cows, I just walk them around my field, which is about 5 acres,” Josh said.
Josh, who will be in ninth grade at Clear Spring High School, is the son of Erin and Jill Miller.
Working with a moody Pumpkin
Animals definitely have personality and can also have mood swings. This is the case with Pumpkin, a cow that Jacob Miller, 12, of Hagerstown, is showing at Ag Expo.
“I guess you can say she is a diva,” Jacob said Monday of 2-year-old Pumpkin.
He said Pumpkin is fun to be with, but she has her bad days, with “mood swings” that are unpredictable. The hardest thing is when she’s in a bad mood at showtime, Jacob said.
“Sometimes she’ll kick at you or jerk you,” he said. “She’ll buck at me or she’ll hit me in the chest.”
“I don’t like when she misbehaves in the show ring,” Miller said. “It’s kind of embarrassing, but you have to just keep rolling with it.”
Look beyond her sassy attitude and see a loving cow, he said.
“She’s really comfortable with me,” he said.
Jacob, who will be in seventh grade at Clear Spring Middle School, said participating in the ag expo is fun.
Jacob’s parents are Erin and Jill Miller.
'Enjoy the moment and don’t worry about winning or losing'
The experience and love of animals is what draws many people into taking care of cows and showing them at Ag Expo.
Hannah Neidigh, 14, of Roanoke, Va., said Monday that she enjoys spending time with her cow, Carlee.
“I like the experience and being around the animals,” Hannah said. “I love Carlee so much.”
She said she likes the connections that she has with the animals.
“I know what Carlee likes and what she doesn’t like,” Hannah said.
For instance, Carlee doesn’t like loud noises and she’s very cautious when it comes to clippers.
This is Hannah’s first year participating in the Washington County Ag Expo.
“It means a whole lot to me to be here at the expo,” she said.
Her advice to other kids who are curious about the Ag Expo is simple.
“I would tell them to enjoy the moment and don’t worry about winning or losing,” she said. “Just have fun with it.”
Hannah will be in 10th grade at William Byrd High School in Roanoke. Her parents are Kraig and Crystal Neidigh.
— Compiled by MyLinh Hoang
