The Pine County Fair is just over a week away, but festivities have already begun. About a dozen members of 4-H gathered on Saturday for the 2023 Dog Show.
"I consider this the kick-off event for the county fair," Pine County 4-H Extension Educator Sarah Odendahl said. "This is our first showcase event that we do, and showcases help our kids complete what we call the learning cycle. They get to do their project, they get to apply what they do to a showcase event, and then the judge gives them lots of feedback."
Isabelle Olson was at the event with her Australian Shepherd, Cookie. Isabelle and Cookie have been working all year to get ready.
"This is my dog's second year because she's not even two years old yet. Basically, [we've been] working all year round, just making she listens to my commands," Olson said.
For Saturday's event, kids participated in the project's obedience, showmanship, and rally portion.
During the showmanship event, participants have to ensure their dogs stay on task, and judges watch the kids to see how they interact with their animals.
"The judge gets to assess what they know about their dog and their dog breed. It's also a fun part of the morning because the kids get a little bit dressed up, and they really get to show off for the judge," said Odendahl.
The dog show will continue on Wednesday, August 2, with the agility portion in the Pine County Fair Grandstand.
This event is only the beginning, and Pine County 4-H will have many more events that the public is invited to see during the Pine County Fair.
Photo by Joe Keyport.