Labatte Hopes Love Of Animals Leads To Awards
Roosevelt County Fair
Payton Labatte, who is entering her junior year at Culbertson High School, loves animals. Goats, sheep, about 35 chickens, a bossy duck and cattle are all part of her life at the family residence located east of Culbertson.
Her caring of the animals has led to many accomplishments at the Roosevelt County Fair throughout the years. Labatte’s showings at last year’s county fair included reserve champion for goat showmanship, grand champion for overall meat goat breeding, reserve champion for market goats and having her steer qualify for final drive. In the past, she has been a grand champion for market poultry.
She currently has five goats and she says those are her favorite animals. She compares them to dogs. “They are pretty funny to work with. They are pretty dramatic,” Labatte said.
She is preparing three goats for the county fair to enter one each in market, showmanship and breeding. She likes her chances in the market and breeding categories the best.
Labatte is also optimistic regarding getting honors with her steer, Buddy. She purchased the animal from Tara Kelly.
“He does look good,” Labatte said of Buddy. “I’ve struggled in the past with steers acting up at the fair. Hopefully this year will be different.”
She will enter her sheep in market and breeding. Until the fair, she will practice her showmanship with her animals in the yard.
Labatte has been a 4-H member for eight years and a FFA member for two years. Labatte says being involved in 4-H and FFA has taught her how to manage her time as she must provide proper care of her animals despite attending classes and being involved in many school activities.
She credits Tara Kelly for helping teach her how to work with steers and the Featherstons for providing information regarding sheep and goats.
The Centennial Clovers 4-H Club member received the award for Outstanding FFA member for her books last year. She explained that she works on the books throughout the year, but she really concentrates on producing a detailed final product during the three weeks prior to fair.
In addition, her vet science project for 4-H covers the process of recovering after her cow broke a leg last fall. Her project is titled, “From Cast To Pasture.”
The project includes the process of putting the leg in a cast. The cow was Labatte’s first bottled calf that she kept back in 2020.
Ready For Fair
Payton Labatte, an incoming junior at Culbertson High School, will be one of many area students involved in 4-H or FFA at the fair.
(Photo by Bill Vander Weele)
