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 By JENNIFER TANGEMAN
Staff Writer
Few people exhibit an enthusiasm about historical artifacts as Jim Bowsher does.
When crews working for G.A. Wintzer and Son Co. started working to build new office space on West Auglaize Street, they came across some interesting finds where a rental home had previously sat.
Jim Kent and others of Kent Surveying began finding pieces of artifacts. They called in local history buff, Bowsher, to try to figure out what the bits and pieces meant.
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Twins continue cattle tradition |
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Monday, 24 August 2009 |
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Assistant Managing Editor
Two Waynesfield twins may no longer be showing cattle as 4-H members, but the pair have found that livestock take even more dedication in the “real world.”
Sarah and Laina Wireman, 20, both attend the Lima campus of The Ohio State University. Laina is pursuing a degree in animal science, hoping to go on to veterinarian school. Sarah is pursuing a degree in health science, with plans to go on to school to become a chiropractor.
“We’re still breeding and trying to show, but it’s different,” Laina said of the juggle between college, work at the Heartland Animal Clinic and the family passion of raising champion cattle.
Sarah wakes up each day at 5 a.m. to start chores to take care of the cattle before heading off to school.
The pair shows when they can, competing in the Ohio Cattleman’s Association’s BEST (Beef Exhibitor Show Total) program, Junior Nationals held in different states each year, the State Fair and open shows at county fairs.
Recently, Sarah exhibited the Class 1 Prospect Steer winner, “Chance,” at the 2009 American Junior Chianina Association (AJCA) National Junior Heifer Show (NJHS) this summer in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The steer was born April 2, the offspring of Paddy O Malley and weighed 229 pounds.
Laina exhibited the Chianina Class 15 winner, Hannah Beth, at the 2009 American Junior Chianina Association (AJCA) National Junior Heifer Show (NJHS). The heifer was born April 21, 2008, an offspring of Heat Wave.
The twins said they hope to have their own farms and raise and sell their own cattle after college.
Right now they are trying their hand at that on the family farm outside of Waynesfield and say they are getting better each year.
“We hope to keep going with it,” Sarah said. “It’s a family thing. It always has been and always will be.”
Laina said it would be impossible to do right now, without working together.
“There’s not enough time or hours in the day for it to be a one man job,” she said.
The goal at this point is to have cattle that can continue to compete in the Born and Raised Show at the Auglaize County Fair each year, the sisters said.
“It’s a good feeling to be a part of that tradition,” Laina said.
In 2007, Laina showed a steer the girls bred and raised from their own herd that was named Reserve Champion Born and Raised, Reserve Champion Market Steer and champion of the open show.
In 2008, Sarah showed the champion feeder calf and captured Reserve Champion Born and Raised with a steer they bred.
This year, Mitch Oen showed that same champion feeder calf Sarah did in 2008 and received Champion Born and Raised and fourth overall in the market steer competition.
“It’s nice to be on top, but there’s always room for improvement,” Laina said. “To think about where we are now and where we’ll be in 10 years is exciting.”
Sarah agreed that it’s nice to see how a good calf develops and keeps improving to be one of the top steers in the end.
“I take extra pride in that,” Sarah said. “You didn’t go out and buy him. You raised him.”
“There’s a difference between buying one and winning and winning with one of your own,” Laina said. “It’s a much better feeling.”
She said in 4-H the focus was on steers, with the main goal to raise one good enough to win the market show, but now they aim for good heifers and steers to breed and continue that good stock.
“I’ve showed steer the last 11 years, so it’s a change,” Laina said.
Sarah said she always cried before when her steers went to market and now she cries twice, once when she sells them and then again when they are loaded on the truck for market.
“This is something we do together as a family though and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Sarah said. “I can’t imagine it any other way.”
Sarah and Laina’s parents, Millie and Dave Wireman, also grew up showing steers, he in Allen County and she in Logan County.
“That’s a neat tradition we want to continue,” Sarah said.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 August 2009 )
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