4-H PEI Royal Dairy Team

Thank You! 2023 ADL 4-H PEI ROYAL DAIRY TEAM SPONSORS!

(L-R) Ava Bysterveldt, Layne Whelan, Alyson Thompson, Zoe Stewart, Anneka Kouwenberg, Reagan Bouma, Anneka Versteeg, & Emily MacBeath.

2023 TD Canadian 4-H Dairy Classic The 2023 ADL 4-H PEI Royal Dairy Team was selected at the Evangeline Exhibition by a panel judges. Thanks to the The Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival and their volunteers for allowing us to hold our 4-H Royal Dairy Selection Class as part of their Open Dairy Show.

The first official team event was a team fundraiser held at Birkentree Holsteins at their open house event on October 7th.

Thank you to absolutely everyone who donated, helped out, and showed up! The team is very fortunate to have such a supportive industry, not to mention all the family members who showed their support in so many ways.

The next day the team attended a vest presentation ceremony with ADL CEO, Chad Mann, where they received their lovely team vests. (l-r) Zoe Stewart, Emily MacBeath, Alyson Thompson, Ava Bysterveldt, Reagan Bouma, Layne Whelan, Anneka Kouwenberg, and Anneka Versteeg, with Chad Mann (ADL).

On November 1st the trailer was packed and the cattle loaded for their trip to Toronto. We are grateful to Dean Craswell for safely transporting our animals to Toronto. The animals were able to spend a couple days at a farm in Ontario to rest before heading to the show. The team flew up on November 4th and had a bit of time to see some sites in Toronto before meeting the cattle at the fairgrounds.

The team began to move in early Sunday morning to set up their displays and settle in their calves.

Monday was the first day of the show. Representatives from each of the teams competing opened the show carrying signs displaying their team’s name. Layne Whelan was the PEI flag bearer and Zoe Stewart carried the Provincial placard for the opening ceremonies.

The team had a stellar performance on day two of the show in the conformation classes!

Holstein Fall Heifer—1st Place/Champion: KOUWENBERG DENVER 3414 Anneka Kouwenberg, Vernon Bridge, PE Honorable Mention Grand Champion Calf: KOUWENBERG DENVER 3414 Anneka Kouwenberg, Vernon Bridge, PE Holstein Spring Yearling—1st Place/Champion: GOLDENFLO LEIGHSIDE BLACK-AYR, Alyson Thompson, Frenchfort, PE Group of Three—1st Place: Prince Edward Island Holstein Spring Yearling—10th Place: CHAKELBURG THREE OF A KIND, Reagan Bouma, Breadalbane, PE Holstein Summer Yearling—14th Place: HOFF TATOO LURISSA Zoe Stewart, York, PE Jersey Fall Heifer—15th Place: STRATHBURN BESLEA VICTORIOUS EXQUISITE ET Anneka Versteeg, Stanchel, PE Holstein Winter Calf—24th Place: COBEQUID MASTER LYRIC Layne Whelan, Kensington, PE Holstein Winter Calf—25th Place: WINTERBAY SIDEKICK CLOVER 1005 Ava Bysterveldt, Millcove, PE

The whole team worked hard, learned a lot, and had a great time. They were excellent representatives of the future of the PEI dairy industry. Although this trip is always lot of work and is an expensive endeavour the opportunity for skill development, education, networking, and achievement it provides our dairy members is invaluable. The team is beyond grateful to their sponsors for making this experience possible. The following pages contain testimonials from each of the team members about their 2023 Royal experience.

Emily MacBeath Royal 2023 was an incredible experience. This was my first time attending the Royal. I had a very successful year with my calf Goldenflo Leighside Charlotte and was honored to be selected to represent PEI. The first day we woke up at 3:00 am to fly to Toronto. We got to go to the CN Tower and shopping at the Eaton Centre. We also got to go out for supper. It was fun to hang out and get to know my PEI team.

The second day we went and set up all our stuff and started preparing our animals. We all worked together and by the end of the day all the animals were ready for the next day.

The third day was showmanship. I was amazed how many other 4-H members were there all competing to be the best showman. The competition was tough but my calf Charlotte and I did our best. The next day was conformation classes. PEI had an awesome day!

I learned so much going to the Royal, especially since parents and chaperones weren’t allowed to help. We all worked together and it was awesome to see my teammates do so well. It was busy after the show getting everything taken down. We got to go out for supper to celebrate. The next morning it was back to PEI. I want to thank all of our sponsors for supporting us, we wouldn’t have had this great experience without you. Also thank you to our chaperones and parents. I hope I get to go back to experience The Royal.

Reagan Bouma My name is Reagan Bouma, and I recently attended the TD 4-H classic for the third time at the Royal Winter fair in Toronto as a member of the PEI 4-H dairy team.

Attending the TD Classic is a wonderful opportunity to experience a first class 4-H show.

Attending the Royal is a great opportunity to meet 4-H’ers from across Eastern Canada.

It is also a great chance to learn new skills and to learn how to work as a team.

Although it was along 4 days with early mornings and late nights, the many compliments we received and the friendships that were made, made the trip worth while. We worked hard as a team to keep our display and animals looking their best, resulting in winning best group of 3 out of 47 teams, as well as 2 class winners and an honorable mention overall.

None of this experience would have been made possible without the support of our sponsors, parents, and chaperones, as well as 4-H PEI. A big thank you also goes out to Dean Craswell for safely transporting our animals to Toronto and to everyone else that had a hand in supporting our team.

Anneka Versteeg My first trip to Toronto, for the Royal Winter Fair 2023 TD classic was an experience of a lifetime. I had a great time, learned lots of new things about showing heifers, and made lots of memories with great people. I can’t wait for the 2024 show season, and wish the best of luck to the next team! I would like to thank all the sponsors who made this trip, and dreams come true possible.

Ava Bysterveldt On November 4th we all woke up around three or four in the morning and went to the airport.

When we got there we went through security and waited for our flight to start boarding. It was a two hour flight and most of us slept on the way.

We arrived in Toronto around six or seven in the morning, we went to see the CN tower and we went shopping at the mall. Later that day we checked into our hotel, went to check out the fairgrounds and ate dinner at Jack Astors.

On Monday we went to the fairgrounds and made our pack, our calves got vet-checked and washed. We also went around and checked out most of the little shops around the building, and we found all the food trucks so we knew where we would be eating lunch most days.

On Monday morning half of us got there at four, the other half at six. I was with the later group and when the four of us got there the calves were washed. The showmanship show started at ten, I was in one of the first heats and didn’t make the cut.

Tuesday was the big day, conformation. Everyone was there early because the show started at eight. As the classes went on all the calves got their toplines done and got a drink of water before they were ready to go in the ring. My calf was in the first heat for her class and she made the first cut, overall she placed 25 out of around 100 calves. Then Anneka’s calf made the cut and won for fall calf! Allyson's calf also won for spring yearling! They both went back out for champion and Anneka’s calf won honorable mention! Later we won the best group of three and there were 48 groups in the ring.

Overall it was a great experience, everyone on the team got along great, we worked well as a team.

I’d like to go to the TD Royal Dairy Show again sometime! Thank you to our many sponsors, we couldn't have done it without you!

Layne Whelan: My name is Layne Whelan and I am 14 years old. I live in Springfield with my parents and brother Landon. I am very involved with hockey and play U15AAA this year. This year was my first time winning a trip to the TD Classic in Toronto.

Our team left very early on November 4th and we spent the day site seeing when we arrived. We walked around Toronto and went to the CN tower and shopping center. Set up started Sunday morning and showing began on Monday and finished on Tuesday. Team PEI did very well with two top placings in two separate classes and best group of three.

Many thanks to our chaperones and sponsors without our generous sponsors this trip would not be possible . Thank you.

Anneka Kouwenberg My name is Anneka Kouwenberg, I am 15 years old and this was my first year at the Royal. I have been a member of the Millview Vernon River 4-H club for 7 years and this year I’m taking dairy, canine, candy making, barn board quilting, and the vet project. I live next to my family’s dairy farm with my mom, dad, sister, and brother where we milk about 260 holsteins.

Participating in the Royal Winter Fair was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Having the opportunity to showcase my animal and compete against some of the best in the industry was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking.

However, with the support of my team, I was able to put my best foot forward and come out on top, winning champion Holstein fall heifer, as well as Honorable Mention, and first in the group of 3.

The Royal Winter Fair is truly a unique event that brings together people from all corners of the industry. I was blown away by the incredible talent and skill on display by my fellow competitors, as well as the passion and dedication of the organizers and volunteers. It was a true testament to the importance of agriculture in our society and the hard work that goes into producing top quality animals. I am so grateful for the experience and the memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.

Being able to bring home 3 awards from the Royal Winter Fair was a dream come true, and it has only fueled my passion for the industry. I look forward to continuing to grow and learn, and hopefully, have the opportunity to participate in this amazing event again in the future.

But none of this would have been possible without our sponsors, so I would like to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to all of the sponsors. Thank you for making our trip to the Royal Winter Fair possible. Your support to the our team is truly appreciated, and I am honored to be a part of such a wonderful community and the ability to have been a part of this years show.

Zoe Stewart My trip to the Royal was definitely one I will never forget. I have been to a few open shows around the Maritimes, but nothing will ever compare to the experience I had here. The whole trip started off with my first time flying by myself. I go to university in Presque Isle, Maine, so the plan was to fly out of Fredericton and meet up with the rest of the team in Toronto.

Other than getting stuck with a middle seat, the flight went smoothly, and I only had to wait 20 minutes for the rest of the team to arrive.

We got to the hotel at around 8:00 am, so our rooms weren’t ready yet, but luckily one of the moms had gotten there the day before, so we dropped our stuff off in her room and she made us breakfast. After eating, we had decided that we were going to walk to the CN tower from our hotel, and hit the mall on the way back. Being at the top of the CN tower was really cool, and getting to stand on glass floors made some of our heads spin.

After we got back to the hotel, our rooms were ready, and we took a much needed nap before heading to the show grounds for the first time to figure out where we were setting up the next day. After we found our spot, we were allowed to look around for a bit before heading back to the hotel. My mom and I looked at all of our food options for the next few days, and then went and found the horse barns. It was really cool to see how the horse people set up their displays and make stalls look like gingerbread houses.

The next morning was crazy. We got to the grounds for 6:00 am, the earliest we were allowed to unload our trailers, and started unloading. While some girls started spreading mulch around, others started assembling the display. We got all the wooden boards down around the floor and then tried to figure out how we were supposed to hang our sign.

We ended up just zip-tying it as much as we could and it actually ended up working for the whole time. Once girls started taking claves to the wash rack, we started piling the shavings on. After all the calves were washed and settled in with hay, we started on the display. We had stall cards to put up and a slideshow to assemble. We decided on a digital scrapbook this year with a TV to display it. There ended up being quite a few technical difficulties, but luckily I had my laptop with me and we were able to figure it out.

My next day started at 3:00 am as I was part of the early crew. Four of us were assigned to wash calves and clean the pack as today was showmanship day. My job was to get the pack ready. Everything went very smoothly, and the calves were laying down drying by the time the 5:30 am crew showed up. The highlight of that day was getting to represent PEI in the opening ceremonies. I got to hold the sign and walk around the show ring as the national anthem played.

This was probably the most relaxed show day I’ve ever experienced. Our first girl went in at 11:00 am and I went in the last heat at 5:00 pm. We had plenty of time to wow the display judges and get calves ready with minimal stress.

Walking into the ring to show for the first time was a feeling I will never forget. I felt like I was the best of the best, and my calf finally decided to walk like it. After my heat, we watched the championship and then washed our calves and did the pack, as we were going to have a super early start to the next day. The crew left at 8:00 pm, but my mom and I stayed until 1 am keeping the pack clean and animals fed, until the other senior member came in to relieve us. We wanted them to look their best on conformation day. When all the calves were laying down, I went around and left some toy lobsters at Holstein, Jersey, and 4-H Canada’s stalls. When we got back to the pack, it was time to get show ready, I wasn't until a later class but our December heifers needed to be ready.

It was a great show day for the group. All of our heifers got pulled into the champion classes, and two of them won their classes. My proudest moment was when Anneka Kouwenbergs heifer got Honourable Mention. She worked very hard with her heifer all season. We then took our group of three out into the ring, and it was the longest 30 minutes of my life. I was walking someone else's heifer who decided she wanted to drag me across the ring, but I held on and wouldn’t let her move. We then got called up for top 11 and when they called top 10, I had a mini heart attack every time they didn’t call our names. We had all worked so hard this week, and all season long to prepare them and pick the best ones. They called the top 3 and my heart stopped. I don't think I breathed until they called us the winners.

Little PEI had won. We all had the biggest smiles on our faces as the crowd cheered us on and we lined up with our ribbon. That is a moment I will never forget.

After we tore everything down, we were allowed 20 more minutes to explore, and I found my way to the Ferme Jacobs pack. I got to take a picture with Erbacres Snapple Shakira. The supreme champion of the World Dairy Expo, and now the Royal in 2023. I got to talk to the owner about her and about showing, and he signed my program for me. Getting to go to the Royal was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am so grateful that I got to go. I have created memories that will last a lifetime.

Much Gratitude To Our Generous Dairy Team Sponsors!

Platinum/Title Sponsor:

Platinum Level :

Gold Level :

PROVINCE OF PEI

DAIRY FARMERS OF PEI

Silver Level : FUNDY AGRICULTURE SERVICES

ISLAND COASTAL SERVICES

Bronze Level : EASTERN PEI HOLSTEIN CLUB PHILLIPS AGRICULTURAL SERVICES SHURGAIN / TROUW NUTRITION WAYNE MACQUARRIE AGRICULTURE SERVICES PIONEER SEEDS

DAIRY CUP CAVENDISH AGRI SERVICES PEI HOLSTEIN KENSINGTON AGRI SERVICES

Friend of the Team : ATLANTIC DAIRY TECH CARDIGAN FEED SERVICES CHARLOTTETOWN VETERINARY CLINIC COWTOWN CATTLE COMPANY FITZPATRICK & CO ISLAND CHOCOLATES COMPANY JERSEY ATLANTIC KENSINGTON VETERINARY CLINIC MACRAE BACKHOE PRORICH SEEDS VESEYS SEEDS SOLLIO AGRICULTURE ATLANTIC VETERINARY COLLEGE EASTGEN JON RAYMOND DYKSTRA KAREN VANDERKLOET MACPHEE’S MEATS SELECT SIRES CANADA STGENETICS ANDREA MACPHERSON JANET BYSTERVELDT RENA THOMPSON BLONDIN SIRES

BIRKENTREE HOLSTEINS CARVER LIME CLARENCE FARM SERVICES DLF CANADA (PICKSEED) GARDENVALE FARMS ISLAND PETROLEUM KENNEDY METALS M&D CONSTRUCTION MONTAGUE VET CLINIC PURITY DAIRY ISLAND HANDLING SYSTEMS MCCAIN FERTILIZER CRICKER’S CREAMERY GABE VOS KAREN DRAKE G VISSER & SONS POTATO NORRING ROAD CUSTOM SHEAR INTENSITY HAIR SALON KELLY HUGHES SUE YOSHIKAWA MERLE MACBEATH SANDRA WEEKS AL & VINA PALMETER

Contact: PEI 4-H Office P.O. Box 2000 Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8 E: pei4hoffice@gmail.com P: 902-368-4833 W: www.pei4h.ca

Photo Credits Professional photos from the Royal are by Ella Wright Candid photos taken at the Royal captured by members and their family.