I am controversial

There has been an uproar in our livestock club, and I am at the center of it.

What did I do that was so outrageous?
I was Runner-Up Overall 4-H Exhibitor my first year when I was 10, and I won Overall 4-H Exhibitor the next two years when I was 11 and 12.

So in the eyes of some people, "It's fixed", "It's rigged".

My Ag teacher/4-H leader/FFA advisor's honor has been doubted.  I am glad that she is such an honest person that she has nothing to regret or be ashamed of on her part, but it is still upsetting.  I am also glad that she is such a strong person that she doesn't care if people try to "cast doubt on her integrity."

It's also insulting to me.  Apparently there's no way that I could ever be so good as to place that highly every year without something being underhanded.  How in the world could someone like me possibly earn an honor like that.  Apparently there are other people that are way more deserving than I am who have been cheated out of an award that is rightly theirs.

We have thirty some exhibitors.  Twenty or less of them sign up to compete for the overall exhibitor.  Usually is it just about half 4-H and half FFA.  So everyone is normally competing against seven to ten others.  All competitors are acknowledged at the show.  Only the top two are called out.  Only the winner receives a prize:  a trophy and an embroidered prize jacket.  (This year it is an embroidered tall chair.)

It has been demanded that the rules of the Overall Exhibitor Award selection process be changed apparently because of my continued success.


Over the last few years it has been:  33.3% - 33.3% - 33.3%  and 40% - 40% - 20%

The current system is:

45% formal interview with a panel of judges
45% score from Showmanship placing at the local show
10% score from work ethic, sportsmanship, and herdsmanship while at the local show


It has ALSO been suggested that once a person has won:
*they sit out 1 year
*they sit out 2 years
*they can never win it again
**Someone even suggested that the previous winner coach everyone else on how to improve their      interview during the years that they have to sit out of the process.

Because my leader is a very smart and fair person, she let the 4-Hers, the FFAers, and the boosters discuss it separately and vote.  That was how I found out about the problem.  My mom wasn't going to tell me yet, but after my Ag teacher broke the news in class, my mom was able to tell me about the ugly side of things.

After a month of public uproar and who knows how much gossiping before that, the results from each group were discussed and voted upon by the boosters.

Mom didn't tell me it was the night to make the decision.  When I asked her, "Where in the world have you been?!"  She said, "At the super-long overall exhibitor discussion meeting."  When she told me I was still in, I threw my head back, threw my arms up and said, "THANK GOD!"  and I really meant it.

I am thankful to God that he helped enough people to be reasonable and allow me to continue to be a part of the competition.  I am thankful that I am not going to be excluded just because I have been good competition in the past.  The process is important for everyone, even if you don't win.  The idea is to improve next year and be a stronger competitor.

There have been kids that have beat me every time in some area and I didn't like it, but my family and I didn't feel cheated.  We weren't angry, and we didn't say ugly, mean things, and blame other people because I didn't win.   I just kept working harder and trying new things and finding ways to improve, and sometimes I am able to beat them!  I couldn't do that if I didn't step up my game!

If you just pick an overall exhibitor to honor no matter how good they are, then the "honor" has no meaning.

My mom made me a new sign to hang on the Good Luck wall at the show facility.  She adapted an old anonymous poem that has been around forever.
If you can't read it, click on it to view it larger.

Some people just need to be reminded why organizations like this exist for us:  to learn, to improve, to gain confidence, to have pride in a job done well, to practice being good citizens... just to name a few.

*****

They decided not to exclude previous winners.

The percentages on the scoring did change:
*33.3% interview
*33.3% showmanship
*33.3% work ethic (50% cleanup day/25% barn work ethic/25% indoor ethics & sportsmanship)

There will now be comment areas for the interview judges, and the score sheets will be handed back to the exhibitors a week or so after the show with our prize money.  That way families can see how their exhibitor did and can try to improve performance for next year.

Even with the changes, some people are still angry.  I don't think they will be happy until their children win everything at every show.  Some kids are the same way.

They are sure welcome to compete with me.  I will continue to do the best I know how to do.  Maybe I will beat them; maybe they will beat me.  Who knows?  Every day is a new day.

I am proud of myself when I see that I've done a good job.  I am happy when I see that I've made a difference.  I enjoy watching my heifers grow and change and improve and have calves that I get to enjoy raising, too.  I can step back and look at those things and feel good because I did that.  I really hope that other kids can experience and enjoy that same sense of accomplishment for themselves.

I'm just glad I get to be part of it.  I'm glad I get to raise "my girls" and tell people about my experiences with them.

I sure would have never thought that it would lead to such controversy.