The Junior Showmanship competition is coming up tomorrow at this week's Manitoba AG EX at the Keystone Centre, where young people bring their favorite heifer into the ring and show off their animal on how well it presents itself.

AG EX co-chair, Dallas Johnston, says the Saturday event featuring these kids is always a highlight for him.

"We have 145 kids entered in our showmanship competition and that will rank as one of the top three shows in Canada this year as far as numbers," shares Johnston.  "They start at the age of 3 years old to 21."

The top youth will be awarded with a $2,500 Scholarship courtesy of Twerdun Wealth Management 

Johnston says it's very gratifying to see this many young people interested in competing in the Junior Showmanship.  He says many of these kids are involved in 4H, but also many have been raised on a cattle-producing farm and cattle handling is pretty much second nature.

"Each junior can show a heifer calf or a bred heifer, but only one in each condition," he says, "and the judges are looking for how the animal is presented and how the animal performs in the ring, how they set their animal up to look its best and the grooming of it, how well broke they are, because the better they handle in the ring is a pretty good indication of how much time is being spent with them at home."

"Everybody is invited to come on down today and tomorrow," adds Johnston.  "Tonight, will be Party in the Dirt and that's going to be a lot of fun.  And then with the Junior kids on Saturday will round out the week!  It'll be good!"

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