EMMETT, Idaho — For many students at the Gem County Fair, showing livestock started years ago as kids in 4-H and FFA. Now, some recent Emmett graduates are preparing to leave Idaho to continue livestock judging and agriculture programs in college — and they say the community that raised them is something they will carry with them.
This year, four Emmett seniors are heading to college for livestock judging — a number that Cayden Cronquist said may be the most the community has ever sent at one time.
Hayden Wingett has lived in Emmett for six years and has been part of 4-H for a decade and FFA for four years. He said it all started when his family lived in Middleton, and his neighbors had goats.
"I really wanted goats. So I convinced my parents to pick up some goats, and we started showing and then we came over to here to Emmett," Wingett said.
He credited 4-H leader Carol Burlisle with pushing him to grow. Over the years, he built up a herd and now manages 35 to 40 head of goats annually. He also served as an FFA chapter officer for two years and as a district officer for the Western Idaho district.
He said the biggest lesson he took from the experience is about how to learn from others.
"I go and take a little piece from every single person, and I build on that. I make sure that I can learn and progress myself to be better," Wingett said.
Wingett recently graduated from Emmett High School and is heading to Howard College in Big Spring, Texas, after the fair wraps up Saturday.
"I'm excited to go and adventure out and do some stuff down there," Wingett said.
His message to younger students is to take the leap into FFA, not just stay in 4-H.
"Take the opportunity and go and be in FFA. We go on trips, you get to go enjoy it, and 4H is a wonderful thing too. You find a leader that really enjoys it and wants to push you. I think that it's a great program that people need to be part of," Winget said.
He said the community he is leaving behind is one he hopes to give back to someday.
"We have a lot of organizations that are for the youth, and I really enjoy that. And someday I wanna be part of those organizations later on down the road. So, yeah, I really love the community here," Winget said.
Cayden Cronquist has lived in Emmett his whole life and has been part of 4-H for a decade and FFA since his freshman year of high school. He will be heading to South Plains College in Texas for livestock judging.
He said the experience taught him responsibility and financial discipline.
"Some of this money will be going towards my college, like tuition and all of that stuff, but also some of it will go towards my savings account for my future," Cronquist said.
He said the Emmett community has shown up for him and his fellow graduates.
"They've been really supportive of, like, all of us seniors, like going on and everything," Cronquist said.
Paxton Hovley has also lived in Emmett her whole life. She started her first fair in 2016 with a market lamb project, joined FFA her freshman year in 2022 and has been part of both programs for about a decade. She started with sheep, transitioned to cattle in 2019 and has stuck with them ever since. She will also be heading to South Plains College to join the livestock judging team.
She said the experience offers something most kids never get.
"Not many kids get the opportunity to learn to care about and take care of animals, let alone themselves. So I think this is just such a great stepping stone in order to get there," Hovley said.
Hovley's 4-H career will officially end this Saturday at the Gem County Fair, but her agricultural journey is far from over. She will continue showing her two Simmental cattle and a Maintainer through breed associations until age 21, including at junior nationals in Denver.
"It's really comforting knowing that my time doesn't end here at the county fair, and I get to continue on with everything for the next couple of years at least," Hovley said.
She said the people who guided her along the way made all the difference.
"I'm so grateful for my leaders and advisors that I've had here because they've pushed me and helped me grow as an individual to where I have the courage and the foundation to feel like I can go out into the world and do something," Hovley said.
Her message to anyone thinking about getting involved is simple.
"You're better to do it and fail and learn versus not try it at all because you never know what could have been," Hovley said.
For more information on the Gem County Fair and Rodeo, click here.
