By Gia Hale
What does Michael Tobias know about hogs, steer, dairy cattle,
sheep and goats? Well, enough to win a top honor at the California
State Fair.
What does Michael Tobias know about hogs, steer, dairy cattle, sheep and goats? Well, enough to win a top honor at the California State Fair.
“I was surprised,” said the 19-year-old UC Davis student. “I never expect to win, but it was awesome to win.”
Tobias, a Hollister native, beat out 40 to 45 other experienced competitors to win the Master Showmanship Round Robin competition Aug. 18 in Sacramento during the 2006 California State Fair . The Round Robin, part of the livestock division, tests competitors’ mastery of showing a set of livestock animals they have never worked with before.
“It’s fun to compete,” Tobias said. “It’s an opportunity to show your skill with the animals.”
Competitors must demonstrate their expertise on the care and market value of each of six livestock animals. They are judged on a point system by a panel of six judges, one for each animal, who quiz them on their general knowledge about the livestock.
“You’re in front of the judges and you don’t know what they’re going to ask you,” Tobias said. “So you have to think on your feet.”
Tobias is a member of the Ausaymas 4-H club in San Benito County and has been showing livestock for nine years. Co-Community Club Leader Marie Hoffman, who has been with the Ausaymas 4-H club for six years, said Tobias’ win was exciting for everyone involved.
“It was such a surprise,” she said. “It was so exciting to see him win, and he’s a joy to watch compete.”
The Master Showmanship competition was one of the last in the week and was a victory for all of the Ausaymas club members.
“It was the highlight of the week,” Hoffman said. “He’s such an inspiration to all of the younger kids.”
This was Tobias’s fourth time competing in the State Fair and his first win in Master Showmanship.
“I’m always nervous before I go into a show,” Tobias said, “but having that experience has helped me out a lot.”
Participants must qualify at the county level before they can compete at the state fair, so the competition was intense. As the winner, Tobias received one of the highest honors of the fair – a Golden Bear – one of three trophies given out in the livestock division each year.
“It was an honor to receive one of them,” he said.
This year’s competition is the last for Tobias, and the win lets him end his 4-H career on a high note, though winning wasn’t everything to him. He said showing the animals has helped to make him a more well-rounded person and prepared him for other situations in life.
“It’s a great way to learn how to present yourself,” he said.
The experience will come in handy as Tobias enters his second year at UC Davis to pursue a degree in animal science. He plans to continue his work with livestock as a large animal veterinarian.
