KIRTLAND, Ohio – Kelsey Bezdek had no idea what attendance would look like for Lake County Farm Bureau’s first Show Cattle Clinic in late February.

On the day of the event, the organization’s vice president received a pleasant surprise.

“We were very pleased,” Bezdek said after 71 participants showed up for the free clinic at the Lake Metroparks Farmpark. “When we started, we weren’t sure if anyone was going to come. We had about 48 people sign up within 24 hours of launching it, then we gave it about a month and a half of sign up. So, we’re very happy with 71.”

Those in attendance came from seven counties and two states and ranged in age from 5 to 80 with an array of experience. “We had first-timers in the show world up to adults that wanted to improve themselves,’ Bezdek said.

The clinic opened with a general session hosted by Taylor and Tatumn Poff – sisters who serve as Ohio Beef Youth Council officers and are accomplished in the show ring at the state and national levels.

Following the general session, attendees rotated among three small-group breakout sessions focused on the daily care of show cattle, clipping and fitting, and showmanship.

Each breakout session featured discussion, demonstrations, and question-and-answer opportunities. Daily care spotlighted grooming and tools, washing and drying, and creating a hair routine.

Clipping and fitting demonstrated Show Day Do’s/Don’ts, Clipping 101 and Sculpting a Champion. Showmanship focused on attire and equipment, setting up in the ring, and show-ring etiquette.

Each session lasted 45 minutes.

In addition, attendees were treated to a lunch provided by a local 4-H club. “Legacy Livestock donated locally raised beef, and we had sloppy joe’s and one of the other moms made 100 cow shaped cookies,” Bezdek said. “Lake County Farm Bureau provided the chips, plates, cups and water. It was definitely a group effort.”

Bezdek was searching for a local program that could help those interested in showing cattle learn basic skills or take their showing careers to the next level. “I didn’t grow up participating in 4-H, but I wanted to help my 11-year-old son, a member of Legacy Livestock, learn more about showing cattle,” she said.

Once she discovered no such program existed locally, she looked out of state. “I found a clinic in Texas, and in October, my son and I flew to Texas to attend a clinic there,” she said.  “It really made me realize there’s a definite need for this.”

Bezdek worked with two local partners, Ryan Wheeler and Steve Ohmes, to develop the clinic’s structure and agenda.

“Ryan Wheeler grew up showing cattle. He started when he was 12 and lived and breathed the whole process,” Bezdek said. Steve Ohmes is the assistant administrator at Lake Metroparks Farmpark.

“Between the three of us, we brainstormed topics, and Ryan and I ironed them out and broke them down into sections,” Bezdek said. “The three we highlighted are the ones we felt kids would get the most information from based on the level most kids in our area are showing at.”

Lake Metroparks Farmpark is a 235-acre working farm and education center in Kirtland, and it served as the clinic site. The farm features a variety of livestock, fields, gardens, and farm buildings. Daily activities include demonstrations and educational programs related to farming and gardening. Farmpark hosts thousands of students from area schools each year.

“It’s a working farm education center, and I don’t think nationally, there’s a ton of spaces like Farmpark,” Bezdek said. “We feel very blessed to have it in our area.”

The Show Cattle Clinics’ success spawned the idea for more livestock clinics down the road. “We’re looking at doing a lamb clinic in the next couple of months,” Bezdek said. “We’ll have other guest presenters for that. We’re looking at breaking this into a series next winter so we can have a session for different components of the show cattle series.”

Bezdek hasn’t had the opportunity to share this program with other county Farm Bureaus.

“We all get together as a farm bureau and share ideas, then tailor them to whatever’s going on in our county,” she said. “We haven’t reached out to the state with this. We wanted to see how it would go, but I think the sky is the limit from here.”