| | The eighth annual Focus on 4-H celebration weekend is being held at Northlands Park on July 1 to 3, 2006. These three days will be filled with skills presentations, activities, events and achievement demonstrations such as livestock shows, Lifeskills workshops, a bicycle and tractor rodeo, a '4-H Face-Off' mystery race, a lip sync competition, and a talent show.
"New to Focus on 4-H this year is a Presentations competition, which is open to all members," says Jocelyn McKinnon, 4-H specialist with Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Barrhead. "This competition gives participants the opportunity to promote an Alberta grown product. The presentations reflect the 4-H members' ingenuity and innovation. Also debuting is a team mystery race,
"4-H Face-Off", a special event that is guaranteed to have 4-H members laughing and having fun. Teams of 4-H Members will be in a horse race like no other, build a mascot, solve a giant riddle and find a hidden treasure."
The horse, beef and canine committees have reorganized and made changes to their regional shows. The regional horse show provides an excellent mix of classes to enable all the horse project members who wish to participate to do so. Starting with the 57 members entered in stationary roping and ending with the 133 entries in gymkhana, the members have a very full weekend.
Megan Fraser, a second-year 4-H member reflects on her first Focus on 4-H with fond memories, "it was exhausting but I met lots of new people, learned a heap and made many new friends! I am also extremely proud of what my horse and I accomplished in our first year's focus."
This year, the beef show will include beef marketing and costume classes added to the variety of conformation classes. The canine committee adapted the show to reflect the different skill levels of the members and their dogs. The sheep and goat show will again be combined to offer an interesting mix of conformation, showmanship and novelty classes.
Other events include the multi-judging competition, a Lifeskills bench show, workshop classes featuring scrapbooking, beading, carpentry, leatherworks and more for those who have pre-registered.
Clubs are busy with their individual project completion and with group rehearsals for the 4-H favourite, a lip-sync competition and the talent show. Intermediate and senior members are practicing their tractor-driving precision in order to navigate a pre-determined obstacle course that Junior members will weave their bikes through during the bicycle and tractor rodeo.
Lauren Hennig, Strathcona district key member, feels that the weekend's various activities and events are what make Focus on 4-H such a great experience. "You may go to Focus with your club, but you are sure to leave with many other friends, with many different projects. Focus on 4-H allows for all the members, from all the clubs, in all the districts that make up our region to interact and learn from each other," she says.
Focus on 4-H is a free of charge event, open to spectators and general public and is a perfect way to spend the July long weekend.
For more information on Focus on 4-H or the Northwest Region, please contact Jocelyn McKinnon at (780) 674-8250. For further information visit the 4-H, visit www.4h.ab.ca.
Contact: Jocelyn McKinnon (780) 674-8250 |
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