Livestock shows aren’t all about prize ribbons and belt buckles. For Abigayle Forrest, these events are more about the excitement in the air, the chance to meet people, the time spent with animals.
“Even if you don’t win something, you can have fun,” said Forrest, who showed goats as a 4-H’er in Tangipahoa Parish. “It doesn’t matter if you win something.”
Last year, for a 4-H project, Forrest decided she wanted to share that experience with those who are unable to participate in traditional livestock programs.
“I have a little cousin who’s special needs,” she said. “A lot of people I know have kids that are special needs. My grandmother actually subbed at the elementary school I went to, and one of her favorite kids was a special needs kid. So, since some can’t do the 4-H shows, I said, ‘Why don’t we bring a special needs show to the parish?’”
She organized an event called Beyond Barriers, where about 15 youths with disabilities got to guide goats around a show ring and interact with other animals.
Forrest graduated from high school last year. But she wanted to keep her 4-H project going, believing the show could be bigger and better a second time around.
She was right. On Jan. 9, more than 100 students — ranging from 8-year-olds to high schoolers — and their teachers converged on the Florida Parishes Arena in Amite City. Forrest, along with her family members and 4-H’ers, taught the students the ropes of showing livestock and presented them medals.
The cause is close to her heart. Forrest, who is planning to begin culinary school soon at Northshore Technical Community College, said 4-H gave her plenty of good memories and helped her become the person she is today.
Forrest has epilepsy, a condition that many attending the Beyond Barriers event also have. She hoped to show them that they too can take part in 4-H activities like showing livestock.
“I wanted to have something that I enjoy and I love extended out to others,” she said.
Traci Giannobile, Forrest’s cousin and a teacher at Ponchatoula High School who works with students with cognitive disabilities through the LEAP Connect program, brought a group to the event. She was grateful for the opportunity for her students, some of whom help care for farm animals as part of their school’s agriculture program, to try something new.
“It just kind of furthers that learning for them,” Giannobile said. “To be able to have them actually participate in showing the animals just brings another level of realness to them.”
She added: “It’s almost like a therapy for them to be able to interact with these animals.”
One of her students, 19-year-old Daniel Aymond, was especially excited to be at the arena. A self-described farmer who is active in FFA and raises chickens with his family, Aymond said he was hoping to take some pictures of the livestock at the show.
“Are you going to participate in the event where you walk the animals around and show them?” Giannobile asked Aymond.
“Sure!” he replied.
Rylee Harmon, a 4-H member in 11th grade and another cousin of Forrest’s, helped with last year’s event and was eager to return this year.
“You could see the joy on those kids’ faces,” Harmon said. “They lit up when they got around the animals. It’s such a big deal for them because a lot of them haven’t been around any kind of livestock. This is a really big deal for them, and it’s really cool to see how many people are here today.”
Anna Johnson, a fellow 4-H’er and 11th grader, missed last year’s show and was determined to be there this time. Helping the show participants handle goats was a bit of a learning experience; Johnson shows rabbits. Still, she said, it was rewarding to share the livestock show experience — her favorite part of 4-H — with others.
“I’ve always been very passionate about inclusivity. I’ve always been that way,” Johnson said. “Everyone’s different, and everyone should be included even if they are different.”
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