Showing calves is Zwingman’s favorite part of the county fair

Editor’s note — This is the fourth in a series of Elgin area residents preparing for the upcoming Antelope County Fair.
By Skylar Reestman
Student intern
The time for Antelope County Fair has almost arrived and all involved are starting to get things in order for showing at the fair. And for the Zwingman kids, getting ready for the fair is all about doing their chores and spending time with their calves.
Siblings Kayton, Gentry, and John “Junior” Zwingman are a part of the Cedar Creek 4-H Club and have participated in the Antelope County Fair for five years. Although they have brought other projects to the fair such as wood work, photography, and sewing, showing their calves in the fair is one of their favorites.
There is a lot of preparation that comes with showing cattle at the fair, and it all starts with picking the right one. “Me and my mom go out and livestock judge all of our newborn calves and go out in the pasture and see which is the best one” Kayton said. And for the Zwingmans all but one of their calves they are showing this year is home raised.
Showing calves, specifically ones that are a bit bigger, can have some risks. However, after finding the calf they will show at the fair, they start the process of getting the calf comfortable with being around them. “We usually show them as a stocker feeder, and then a big one, so that way they are tame. For the complete story turn to this weeks edition of the Elgin Review.