MISSOULA — Missoula County 4H and FFA is fostering a more accessible club by pairing participants who are showing off live stock with special needs community members.
When Christian Thorness learned that without the Montana Royal Junior Livestock Show there wouldn’t be a dedicated event bringing special needs kids into the 4H arena, he decided to recreate it.
"One of the things that 4-H really helps is leadership. And it also helps build a community. And so with the Buddy Barrow Show, as we've seen in there, we've gathered a community around the buddies and the mentors and even around me," Thorness told MTN.
To start, Thorness connected with Inga Lake who helped run the program with Montana Royal.
"It's intended to pair kids that maybe have a disability that would preclude them from being able to participate in a traditional market project. We pair them with mentors who have trained pigs that they're able to show," Lake said
For the first time at the Western Montana Fair, 4H and FFA members became mentors.
"I’m excited to teach them how to show a pig and how to do to have an opportunity," mentor Bailey said.
"It gives them access to what they couldn't do otherwise and what they thought they couldn't do, they now know they can do," mentor Kylee Deboo shared.
On Wednesday evening, the 4H arena was full of first time show champions who took home belt buckles.
"Buttons is Love," buddy Jake said about his mentor's pig Buttons.
Some buddies may have found a new passion.
"It's kind of cool because my grandma's a farmer and she has some sheep and some chickens," buddy Regan said.
The Buddy Barrow program will also be at the upcoming Northwest Montana Fair and North Idaho State Fair and they hope to keep it going for years to come.
"It already has so much momentum and we just want to see it continue and grow," show promoter Lake shared.
