4-H Chinook Multi Club holds Achievement Day and Awards

Chris Davis and Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice

J. Davis photo

Members of the 4-H Chinook Multi-Club Gun Safety Group

Josh Davis photo

On Sunday, June 3 the Pincher Creek Horseshoe Pavilion was the site of the 4-H Chinook Multi Club Achievement Day and Awards ceremony.  The Multi Club 4-H members work on projects within their area of interest throughout the year.  Some of the different skills demonstrated by the club this year included equestrian achievements, gun safety, and photography.

Brooke Hammond finishes her
first 4-H year in style
J. Davis photo

Gymkhana riders gave demonstrations of their horsemanship including pole bending, barrel racing, keyhole, as well as demonstrating reining techniques and basic equestrian abilities and control of their horse.  Gymkhana participants included Taylor Deley, Sarah Kirby, Brooke Hammond, Jillana Hammond, Ashley Higgenbotham, and KaSandra McKinnon.  KaSandra was noted for riding whatever horse was provided her.  Jillana learned how to ride with her core, showing her pony the right way to go and taming his more independent impulses.  Taylor overcame her fear of loping.  Sarah also conquered her fears, and now chases cows with her Grandpa, cowgirling up on her black mare.  Brooke was the smallest girl with the biggest horse, and learned how to lope by herself, and learned how to get all the other challenges done.  Ashley learned how to make her "big freight train of a horse" turn a barrel and weave through the poles.

KaSandra McKinnon finishes her
last 4-H year in style, before
furthering her education in Style.
J. Davis photo

KaSandra McKinnon was finishing her last year with the club, after 9 years in 4-H. She gave a brief talk, explaining the flexibility of the 4-H Creative Options Project which she was part of, which allowed her to incorporated her various athletic endeavours including basketball and rugby into her 4-H experience.

She also worked out a Joe's Gym regularly, and was a lifeguard at the pool.  A possible future in Roller Derby was hinted at.  KaSandra is graduating from Matthew Halton High School this year, and is enrolled at the Purely Inspired Academy of Beauty in Lethbridge.

Shooting Team Leader Dan Crawford was very pleased by his group's efforts and the results of those efforts.  Shooting participants included Bruce Kirby, Bryce Crawford, Lewis Anderson, Levi Anderson, Isaak Bustard, Tyler Higgenbotham, and Ryan Higgenbotham.  They held a target-shooting skills competition, and 5 out of 7 members achieved 100% on their safety tests.

The Photography Club has three active members, Lewis Anderson, Levi Anderson, and Isaak Bustard.  Each of them showed and explained a collection of their favourite self-taken photographs, covering a wide variety of subject matter and approaches to the art.  During the year the group also completed a Christmas photography project and had the chance to work with a volunteer that showed them post-editing and computerised photo manipulation.

There were various prizes awarded, including some "Best of" awards, but the spirit of the day wasn't about competition, but instead was about demonstrating a growth in personal skills and a pride in achieving personal goals.  It was a pleasure to witness the abundance of mutual support that this small and proud group of kids gives each other in their pursuit of those goals.  The minor rivalries are friendly and constructive.  The emphasis is truly on achievement.

A bubblegum scramble brought the event to an entertaining end.

Lunch was served after presentations were made and awards were given out.


Gophers beware!

Submitted by Dave the Gopher

My day started off much the same as most days.  Eat a little grass, catch a few rays of sun.  Expansion of the south tunnel is ahead of schedule, but I will spend some time later this morning digging on it to make room for the youngins who will soon be arriving.  Neighbors have been talking about the early spring massacre that almost wiped out the whole population in the far pasture.  It’s a good thing those farm kids can’t shoot straight.  I think I’m going to catch the news before heading up top.


Special Bulletin:  This just in….There is a new batch of kids all trained up on gun safety with some serious shooting skills.  Be on the lookout for some young men wearing burgundy 4-H shirts.  The posse calls itself “the Chinook multi club”.  There are seven members to look out for.  Levi “hip fire” Anderson, Bryce “big country” Crawford, Tyler “don’t miss” Higginbotham, Bruce “eagle eye” Kirby, Lewis “quick draw” Anderson, Isaac “mighty guns” Bustard, and Ryan “sure fire” Higginbotham.  They are led by a man considered by many to be the greatest gopher assassin of our time, Sir Dan Crawford.

If you come in contact with any of these shooters……and they have a gun with them……run for your life.  Every second counts  Any delay will cost you your life.  They have been known to shoot rifles, pistols or even black powder muzzle loaders.  Their training started in October, and has continued on to this day with their skills developing at an incredible rate.  It has been said that they even practiced shooting at fake paper gophers through the winter months to hone their skills in preparation for the spring arrival of our species.  Protect yourself now!!!  This ends our special broadcast.

Well.  If that doesn’t scare you more than the shadow of a golden eagle, you must have already been shot.  With this new breed of “high performance shooters” in the area, none of us are safe.  I think I’m just going to pack up and move!!

Shooting balloons is harder than it looks!  The gophers
are probably pretty safe from this guy.
Josh Davis photo