by 
Christian Day, Carcass Grand Champion
Jacen Stacy, Sr. Showmanship Reserve Grand Champion
The Kearny Koyotes 4-H Club took part in the Pinal County Fair’s Junior Livestock Show last month and once again this small Eastern Pinal County Club showed some real clout. The club took seven swine projects to the event as well as three swine projects to the carcass competition at the U of A Meat Laboratory in Tucson and literally brought home the bacon in several categories including collecting more than half of the contributions to the annual food drive.
The Carcass Competition took place on Mar. 18th and the Kearny Koyotes came away with the Grand Champion Swine Carcass for the second year in a row. This year it was Christian Day who won this competition, he also received the Best Arizona Bred award and was awarded a purple ribbon, two banners, a clock, and a belt buckle. Auggie Sosa (last year’s Grand Champion) and Iiana Goad were also entered in the carcass competition. The carcass show is an open competition regardless of age or experience across the board with guidelines that the exhibitor must meet.
The Market Competition took place on Mar. 20 and consisted of the judging of the animal for harvest purposes. In this competition Savannah Ortiz placed second in her weight class receiving a purple ribbon and earning a chance in the championship drive in the Yorkshire Class.
Jacen Stacy placed third, James Goad placed fourth, Chelsea Flores placed fifth, and Meiyah Stacy placed seventh, all their individual weight classes and all receiving blue ribbons. Brianna Goad and Caden Hansen received red ribbons in their weight classes.
The Showmanship Competition took place the next day. This competition consists of judging the exhibitor on how they present their animals and includes how the exhibitor groomed their animal as well as how they were able to show their animal.
In the Senior Division Harmony Wormwood, of SIX Livestock out of Dudleyville came away with the Grand Champion Senior Showman award and Kearny Koyote Jacen Stacy was named Reserve Grand Champion Senior Showman. Both received a purple ribbon and a belt buckle.
This was a very exciting competition because both of these exhibitors attend Ray High School and they were competing with other exhibitors from all over Pinal County. In the Junior Division Savannah Ortiz, Chelsea Flores, and Brianna Goad received blue ribbons.
The Novice Division is for first time exhibitors who have never competed before. Included in this competition was Meiyah Stacy who received a purple ribbon and placed sixth overall in the championship drive. Caden Hansen and James Goad, also first time exhibitors, received blue ribbons.
The Pee-Wee Show took place after the showmanship competitions. This competition is for up and coming 4-H members, ages three to eight, and gives future 4-Hers the opportunity to gain confidence for future use. Serenity and Malena Goad participated in the six to eight year old division receiving medals for their efforts.
The Kearny Koyotes 4-H Club once again won the Food Drive Competition, taking place with all 4-H, FFA, and Association clubs across Pinal County, collecting a total of 762 cans. The cans were donated to the Home of Hope, a homeless shelter for moms and children. The goal for the competition was 1500 cans, although the goal wasn’t met, the Kearny group collected over half of what was collected. This is amazing because the group only consisted of 12 and was able to collect 762 cans of food within a 5 hour period. This really says something about this group as well as this community! The club earned a pizza party at Old Time Pizza.
The Kearny Koyotes 4-H Club would like to thank all who were involved in supporting the group this year. First of all many thanks goes out to the parents of these kids, no one knows as much as the parents what all is involved in taking part in raising a 4-H project.
Next, thanks goes out to the community for helping the group collect cans for the food drive. Also, a big thank-you goes out to those that help collect aluminum cans and scrap metal to raise money for the club. This includes the Kearny Elks Lodge, Nikki and Rusty Rawson, Rick and Nicole Sosa, Brad and Tiffany Ortiz, Janice Mitchell, Jacob Acton, and anyone else that we don’t know about who drops their cans and scrap at the Bingham Barn! If you don’t know what to do with your aluminum cans and tabs just drop them off at the barn. Proceeds from this effort help the club to purchase jackets for new members every year, as well as items needed throughout the year. This takes place year round; anyone interested in donating to the club can do so by contacting Zane Bingham at 363-5956, for details.
The biggest thank-yous go out to the individuals and businesses that purchased animals or submitted add-ons at the auction, this includes but not limited to Big D’s Market, Kearny Glass and Mirror, General Kearny Inn, Carol and Ralph Dubois, Best Buy Electric, Chuck Brooks, Azzo Farms, Asarco, Hayden and Pristine Cleaners. Without the support of families and the community this wouldn’t be possible for these kids and their projects! Thank-you again!
“We are small, but we are mighty, and proved it again this year” said Patti Bingham, Community Leader. For more information about the Kearny Koyotes contact Patti or Zane at the above number.
Harmony Wormwood, Sr. Showmanship Grand Champion
by by