Calf Club

On Wednesday we had the Ngatea Primary School Calf Club. Now Sub6 is quite keen to learn about calf's as he is having trouble with his! He's even got some compression socks. I should not jest though, as I might get some too!

So what's calf club?

This is a 1937 picture of a calf club in Morrinsille

It has been a tradition for many years in mostly rural schools, that children rear and tend to a young farm animal from (the animals) birth. This can be a kid (goat), lamb or calf.

This is a photo of Celine with Skipper in 2004. Skipper won lots of ribbons!

This animal is fed by the child (primary school age), lead with a halter, brushed and much loved.

The calf club events are held at schools in mid October, at this stage most of the animals are about 3 months old, so still manageable for most children.

Celine's 2007 lamb, Chippy.

At the local calf club children have four events to compete in. The first is the obstacle course. In this event the animal is lead in a ring about 20m by 20m. They walk with their animal through a wiggly track, over a small log, around a peg, over some corrugated iron, and then open and close a gate.

The second event is leading, which is much the same as the obstacle course, but without the obstacle. The children who have been the most dedicated at practicing will show up, as they have a great repore with their animal, and the animal leads without any prompting.

For the lambs and kids the most hilarious (but it's not meant to be) event is the calling. In this case the child undoes the lead and the steward (me in this case) holds on to the animal. The child then walks about 10 m and 'calls' their pet, I then let go. The best animals then bolt to their owner, who then walks a further 10 m with the lamb/kid in hot pursuit, they round another peg then run, again the lamb/kid should be in hot pursuit. at the end of the run, the child must then catch their lamb. If it hasn't happened earlier, this is when the stewards job becomes critical.

Fortunately the ring has material around it, unfortunately if the child has not practiced enough, or has some bad luck, the steward has to chase any escapees. With a multitude of parents and friends watching, this becomes a spectacle with the audience offering plenty of advice to the poor steward who is now chasing at high speed the uncatchable animal. I tend to find the most defiant lambs have even better artful dodger skills than Jonah Lomu!

Anyway, I guess you can imagine!

The next for the lamb/kids is rearing, where the judge determines (basically) which lamb would taste the best! Well seriously, how well grown the animal is, and how well the child has groomed it.

The calves don't do the 'calling' - now that would be interesting! Instead they have rearing - much the same as above, and Dairy or Beef type. This 'Type' class becomes very political to the watching parents/stock breeders on the sideline. Reputations are made and lost on which calf becomes the Type Champion! Actually one of the judges on Wednesday told me he was just about punched by an irate lady, for not choosing her child's calf!! (Yes it gets very serious)

I've finally found this photo, this little 5 year old's calf was bigger than she was. She had absolute control over it - just amazing......and very cute! This was from our local show two years ago.

Irate parents aside, calf club is a great event for the children. It teaches them responsibility (for looking after and animal), time management, and an important skill - if you want to succeed in something - you have to do the work!