The Canyon County Fair is underway, with livestock competitions drawing young competitors from local FFA and 4-H programs.
I spoke with young members of both programs at the fair's kickoff, all three recent high school graduates competing with livestock they have raised and trained.
Seventeen-year-old Matt Hines is showing his heifer, Linda, whom he has raised from a calf. He explained what judges look for during competition.
"You judge them on their stature, their leg positioning, the way they walk, their depth of body," Hines said.
Judges will also evaluate how well Linda is carrying her first pregnancy.
"On a heifer. It's about when they haven't had a calf, how well they will be able to produce milk, how well they will be able to produce a heifer, or bounce back from that."
Caring for livestock requires a significant time commitment. Competitors described spending two to three hours per day in the barn with their animals.
For 18-year-old Akaya Taylor, the demands are worth it. She said FFA has shaped who she is.
"I think the FFA is one of the best things that anyone can bring into their lives. I think it instills a sense of maturity in you where you understand that this is the circle of life, but also that these animals and things in life rely on us," Taylor said.
The Canyon County Fair runs through Sunday, with agricultural entertainment and competitions at the fairgrounds.
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