MISSOULA — Monday, animals arrived at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. Before the Western Montana Fair kicks off Tuesday, FFA and 4-H finished off preparations for a busy week of shows, sales and lots of fair fun.
Rheagan Torbett, with the Mullan Trail Mustangs 4-H Club, brought her animals to the fair for the sixth time.
“It's definitely something we've been waiting on for a long time,” she said. “This year I have dairy goats. I have two market goats, and I also have a market steer and a breeding heifer.”
For FFA and 4-H participants like Torbett, fair week is the culmination of a lot of excitement and a lot of work.
“I’m definitely excited for the beef show. It's something that I do year-round,” Torbett said. “So, to get to show off my work here, it’ll be fun.”
Betty Banister, a goat superintendent in Ravalli County, also came to show her herd at the fairgrounds.
“I got started in lamanchas because my kids were in 4-H and 4-H is such a great program,” Banister said. “Of course, now they're grown up and they left behind the goats, so here I am.”
Banister’s lamancha goats did well in Monday’s open show. In addition to fun, she said the show offers an opportunity for feedback, which helps her keep improving.
“I was blessed with a few little awards today,” she said. “My goats did pretty good today.”
Banister told MTN that the fair is a great way to show support for 4-H, FFA and the skills the programs teach the kids who participate.
“First, they're afraid to talk to you and then, by the time they're leaving here, you can't get them to quit talking,” she said. “They learn how to interview, book work, how to do finances. Those are all life skills that 4-H gives the kids.”
The Western Montana Fair runs this Tuesday through Sunday. You can check out the animals and attend the livestock show and sale. You can also learn from students like Torbett, whose favorite part of 4-H is teaching others.
“You get to meet a lot of new people and kind of just share experiences and what you know to other people,” Torbett said.
