Every family has traditions. For some, it might be gathering yearly for a holiday. For the Packer and Lee families of Marvel and Hesperus, it’s raising half-ton bovines to show at the county fair.
This marks the 17th year that one of her children has shown animals at the La Plata County Fair, Lynise Packer of Marvel said. “This is definitely a family tradition, by all means.”
It began with her eldest son, Taylor, and continues with her daughters, Alyssa and Sheridan, as well as her other son, Logan. But this is the final year, as Sheridan, her youngest, has aged out of being a Future Farmer of America and will move on to nursing school at San Juan College in Farmington, she said.
Though their children will no longer be showing cattle, the Packer family will maintain its ranch near Marvel and a larger farm in Pleasant View, she said.
Watching their children grow and mature over the years as they take on the responsibilities of raising animals that outweigh them many times over has been the greatest reward, Scott Packer said. “When they were little, I used to help all the time, and nowadays, it’s like, ‘no dad, just leave it alone.’”
For Jessica Lee, a soon-to-be senior at Durango High School and competitor in senior showmanship, programs such as 4-H and FFA fit directly into her upbringing, she said. “My parents have always thought that it’s a really great way to raise your kids, knowing that they have responsibility.”
Jessica, 17, said the effort she puts in changed with each animal in the nine years she has competed at the fair. With her latest steer, Bubba, it averaged out to about 14 hours a week since she started in the fall.
Sheridan, 19, who is showing a calfling she lovingly refers to as “The Pest,” likens the process to a profession.
“Showing steers is like a job, you have to be prepared to go out there first thing in the morning, feed them, you have to come home, work with them, feed them, wash them, make sure they’re halter broke,” Sheridan said.
These responsibilities can be draining when stacked onto everything expected of active teenagers, especially during the winter months, but the rewards are well worth it, Lynise Packer said. “They appreciate the efforts, and they’re like, ‘thanks for keeping us so busy.’”
For the Packer family’s eldest daughter, Alyssa, the experience gained grooming cattle for the fair translated into her career as a hairdresser for Hair Fusion in Durango, she said.
In addition to the practical experience, the money earned from the Junior Livestock sale helped her pay for her education at the Paul Mitchell the School in Salt Lake City and purchase her first vehicle, she said. “It just brought me a lot of places.”
“Every one of these kids went off to college with a bank account because of this,” Scott Packer said.
But it’s the fond memories and love of the event that keeps Alyssa coming back, she said. “Any chance I get to come back and help out, I do because I miss it, a lot. If I could’ve made this a living and kept doing it as like a professional and made money, I would have.”
While the financial gains are nice, they are far from the grandest reward, Jessica said. “Being in 4-H means responsibility of care for an animal and learning from experiences you have. It’s not all about winning.”
Sheridan echoed that sentiment.
“I’ve learned how to be self-sufficient, learned how to take care of things by myself, and I’ve also learned time management and just the responsibility of taking care of things,” she said.
But as she moves away, there are things Sheridan knows she will miss, including the smell of the animals, she said. “If you actually put your face to the cow, it has a distinct smell, and that’s my favorite.”
Lynise Packer believes every child could gain from the experience or raising animals. “It’s a lifelong learning lesson.”
Jessica wholeheartedly agrees.
“Even if it’s not a 1,300-pound steer, or if it’s just a goat or a pig, it’s just something you can learn from all around,” she said.
Still, some aspects of showing animals have brought her to tears, such as letting go of the animals that are auctioned after the showing. “It’s always a little sad to see them go, but you know that they had a good life.”
Jessica tries to keep a positive outlook on the whole experience, even when she has to say goodbye.
“You have a friend for a year when you get an animal, and even though you might give it away at the end, you’ve created that bond and made that friendship last,” she said.
