MEET THE FUTURE OF WARREN
AGRICULTURE - 4-H member TARA SLeeMAN
by Karen Davis, Warren Future of Ag Task
Force
 6/1/10
Tara Sleeman of the Scandia Trail Blazers is one of 1,500 Warren
County youth who take part in the 4-H programs. A seventh grader at
Eisenhower High School and active in 4-H for 6 years, Tara is the
daughter of Heather Wilcox.
In case you’ve forgotten the meaning of the 4-Hs, here is a quote from
the 4-H website:
"I Pledge my Head to clearer thinking, my Heart to greater
loyalty, my Hands to larger service, and my Health to
better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world."
She has been involved in this equine endeavor since 2004. The Scandia
Trail Blazers is one of 20 4-H programs countywide in a variety of
interest areas such as cattle raising, entomology, sheep, goats,
spinning, etc.
Tara and her Trail Blazer compatriots attend clinics to expand their
knowledge of the equine species. Other 4-H clubs are sometimes invited
to attend the clinics. The Trail Blazers meet twice monthly to further
their understanding of horses. Tara is currently the president of the
Scandia Trail Blazers which have approximately 20 members. Tara’s
involvement also includes doing community service projects with the
club.
It is best to get Tara’s story directly from her:
“My whole family was in 4-H, on my mom’s side and my dad’s side. My
grandpa Leo Rapp played a huge part in the 4-H program, as did my
grandma and mom. I felt it was up to me to carry on the tradition. I
also always wanted to be part of the 4-H program since I was a small
child. I wanted to “make the best better”. Our most active season is
definitely the summer, especially being a horse group. We have
horseshows and the county fair as well as the county level horseshow.
Then if we qualify there is the district level horse show. In the summer
we don’t have to work around school and hardly any sports.
The best part
of the Scandia Trail Blazers is having fun!! We always find a way to
have fun, whether it is silly string, puppets, shaving cream in people’s
shoes, rice in people’s beds and shoes or duct taping people. Our club
round up is always a blast, as is fair, and you can’t go to the fair
without having fun. The other cool thing about our club is we are always
trying to be hands-on. Our leader, Sherry, isn’t one to make us sit
there and read or anything. She makes learning about horses fun!
The
most difficult part of our group is probably trying to make every member
happy. We all have different interests. Some ride English so, they want
to learn more about jumping or hunting under saddle or hunt seat. Some
ride western so they want trail, pleasure or equitation, reining, or
cutting, and some do games (barrels, pole, and cutback) so, they want to
learn how to get better speed control and times. And others do all of
it, as I do. Those are the easiest to please because they want to learn
how to do it all better. I go to the Warren County Fair as a member in
4-H and have taken my horse every year since 2005.”
When asked if there is anything else she’d like to tell us about 4-H
activities which weren’t asked, Tara shared: “4-H is a great program for
ages 8 to 18. It keeps you involved in something and is always a blast!!
Most clubs go on a yearly trip to an expo or fair depending on the type
of group they are. We go to Equine Affair, Horse Expo, Farm Show, and
Quarter Horse Congress. You also don’t have to have a horse or an animal
to be in the 4H program. There are many, many types of clubs, but over
all it is a great way to meet new people, spend time with your animal
and to stay involved in something fun!!”
We on the Warren County Future of Agriculture Task Force salute Tara and
congratulate her for being such a fabulous citizen at such a young age! |
Photo to left: At the 2009 District
4-H horse show Tara Sleeman placed 8th in Jr. English Showmanship. With
her are her horse, PJ’s Radical Sprite and dog, Daisey.
At the 2009 Warren County Fair Tara showed her
cousin’s draft horse Calli in Jr. Showmanship and placed First.
Tara is also a member of the Eisenhower High School
band. |
