It's all for the kids
Photos by LOREN BENOIT/Press Hundreds gather to wine and dine Thursday night at the Rosenberger family’s Rocking R Ranch in Hayden to socialize and raise funds for local 4-H youths.
Cooper Ross with 4-H lets Cyndie Wiltsie pet Leo Thursday night at the Rosenberger family’s Rocking R Ranch in Hayden.
LOREN BENOIT/PressRon and Shelley's daughter-in-law Bre Rosenberger socializes with Katie and Zach Bane Thursday night at the Rosenberger family's Rocking R Ranch in Hayden.
LOREN BENOIT/PressPheiffer Rosenberger showcases pigs she cares for while at the Rocking R Ranch's fourth-annual 4H fundraising event in Hayden.
By DEVIN HEILMAN
Staff Writer
HAYDEN — Goats have become quite the passion of 13-year-old Cooper Ross.
“His grandmother calls him the ‘Walking Goat Encyclopedia,’” said Cooper’s mom, Tamara.
Cooper has been in 4-H for seven years and raising market goats for three. But his goat prowess prevailed that first year — he took an underweight, lice-covered goat and turned it into the 2015 grand champion of the fair.
“We got rid of all the lice, and eventually at fair he weighed 100 pounds, which we were all surprised at,” Cooper said.
Cooper took his winnings and started himself a goat herd. The next year, he bred one of his females and sold one offspring to another 4-H participant. That offspring went on to become the 2016 grand champ, making Cooper a top-tier market goat breeder and producer.
“Goats are going to be the new meat animal that everybody’s going to want to buy,” Cooper said, patting his 2017 brown and white market goat, Brutus.
Cooper and his family, of Athol, shared their stories and introduced their goats to guests who attended the “Night at the Ranch” 4-H fundraising event Thursday evening at the Rocking R Cattle Company in Hayden.
This year, Ron and Shelley Rosenberger’s Rocking R ranch was rocking the generosity more than ever. Their daughter-in-law, Bre, reported by 9 p.m., the event had brought in $180,000 and people were still giving.
“It’s a great function. It’s very worth spending money on,” said John Daum of Hayden, who attended for his third year. “I enjoy all the people, but I enjoy all the kids. They’ve got sheep, they’ve got steer, they’ve got pigs and they’re more than happy to talk to you about it. It’s just phenomenal. They work hard at it.”
More than 600 people enjoyed a pleasant summer evening of socializing as they dined on a tri-tip meal and sipped frosty beer and wines. Country star Sammy Kershaw and his band provided live music that got people out of their seats after dinner.
Many guests also participated in the auction “round up” that featured 10 prizes, including a five-day cabin retreat to Priest Lake, a guided fishing trip on the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, tickets to a Seattle Seahawks game and more.
4-H is a network of youth programs that teaches school-age kids a variety of skills and responsibilities, from commitment and follow-through to entrepreneurship, responsibility for another living thing and leadership.
“These are your children that are the next leaders, these are the next children that will come into the interviews,” Bre said. “They’re hardworking kids with a lot of drive, a will to succeed and that work ethic that just isn’t instilled in kids any more.”
All funds raised at the “Night at the Ranch” will help support 4-H programs in Kootenai County.
“The generosity of the community is just huge,” Bre said. “For everyone of these people to come out on a Thursday night, and they work the next day, it’s just huge. It literally is heartwarming.”