Fair time is nearly here! That means 4-H and FFA kids are busy making last minute preparations for their exhibits and sneaking in all the practice sessions they can with their animals before showtime.

Joslyn Reiff is the secretary and news reporter for the Callaway Tail Twisters 4-H Club. Entering her junior year of high school this fall, Joslyn has been involved in 4-H for nine or 10 years - she’s not sure which, she just knows it has been a long time. She explained that this 4-H club includes kids from both Callaway and Arnold, and includes a wide variety of categories.

“We do beef, sheep, goats, pigs, horses and all the other exhibits like sewing, food and shooting,” she said. “FFA is involved in that too.”

Livestock is not an area that Joslyn is involved in, but she has lots of other projects that keep her very busy. “I do clothing, food and home ec like different Pinterest exhibits, table settings, babysitting exhibits and I volunteer around the fair,” she explained.

The fashion show is always the first event of the Custer County Fair, held last Thursday, July 21. “Our club had the most purple ribbons in the fashion show last year, so we had to decorate for the fashion show this year,” Joslyn said. “Our home ec type entries are due on the 27th, and we basically just work on our projects up until time to check them in. Clothing is always first, so we’re working on that, and then it’s home ec and we work on those next, and the food is always the last thing we do.”

Leaders for the Tail Twisters are Karla Pandorf of Callaway and Jen Dalrymple from Arnold. The club meets monthly, and always gathers at the Callaway Senior Center.

“I like working on new skills, ones that I can develop and use when I’m older,” Joslyn explained when asked about her favorite thing about the county fair. “I love just helping the younger kids, volunteer work, and just hanging out with friends.”

Joslyn has two younger sisters who are also involved in 4-H; Neltje is a freshman, and Lauren is a fifth grader. She said she believes she is learning skills through 4-H that will benefit her in adulthood, and enjoys helping guide her sisters along that same path.

“The interview parts have really helped, because once I have to start interviewing for jobs I will know how to answer questions. Modeling has really helped me step out of my comfort zone, because I’m really shy and don’t like to be the center of attention. The babysitting projects are helpful, because I want to be a teacher when I’m older,” Joslyn said in reference to the benefits she has received from 4-H.

Other officers of the Callaway Tail Twisters include: Taylor Ross - President; Aubrey Birkel - Vice President; and Maggie Birkel - Treasurer.

Open class entries for the Custer County Fair are due on Friday, July 29. The 4-H firearms shooting match will be held that morning, and the 4-H and FFA dog show will be that evening at 5:30. Interview judging for 4-H food entries, as well as garden, cut flowers and fruits, will be Saturday morning.

Sunday will feature the 4-H and small animal pet show, and weighins for goats, sheep, market beef and market swine. Horse and bucket calf check-ins will both also be on Sunday. Horse, swine, sheep and beef carcass judging will all be held on Monday, Aug. 1, as will the bucket calf parade.

Tuesday, Aug. 2 will start off with 4-H beef showmanship followed by the market beef classes, rabbit show, poultry show and pigeon show. The FFA beef showmanship, breeding heifer and market beef judging will be held Tuesday afternoon. 4-H horses, both 4-H and FFA stocker-feeder show, beef fitting and showing contest and dairy cattle show will all be featured on Wednesday, Aug. 3.

The 4-H and FFA livestock handlers will be in the spotlight on Thursday, Aug. 4 with the livestock judging contest beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the Elite Showmanship contest at 11:30 a.m. The livestock sale will finish out the county fair at 7 p.m. Thursday evening.