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Preble County Fair helping family carry on a tradition

By Shirley Belcher, Contributing Writer 10:48 AM Wednesday, July 22, 2009

EATON — Matthew “Matt” Duffie, 13, is taking a proud family tradition to the Preble County Fair in August.

He is the fourth generation of his family to show Brown Swiss cows.

And his 4-H project is something Matt and his grandfather, Ed Duffie, of Camden, have done together, building a special relationship.

Matthew, who is with Gayle George’s Somers Super Beef 4-H club, started showing cows at 8, beginning with the now-retired Rosie.

Matt now shows Rosie’s offspring who are half-sisters, Lakeview Rascal, a 1year-old, and Lakeview Ronnie, 2-years-old.

In 1935, Matt’s great-grandfather, Albert Withrow, of Camden, and his two sons showed at Cartridge (Hamilton County) Fairgrounds and Lebanon Fairgrounds.

They had a grand champion bull at the Ohio State Fair and grand champion cows locally, plus the grand-champion at the Tennessee State Fair and Kentucky State Fair with their cows and bull.

Anna Lee (Withrow) Duffie, Albert’s daughter and Matt’s grandmother, started 4-H in 1952 winning showmanship and showman of showman several times with the Brown Swiss.

This year, Matt got to clip his cow for the first time.

“This is part of getting the animal ready for showmanship,” said Anna Lee. “Matt knows how to clean a cow’s ears of ear wax, clear down to their brain. He has to give them a bath every day he is showing them.”

Blake Duffie, Matt’s dad, showed Brown Swiss dairy cattle at the Preble County Fair for 10 years and Matt’s mother, Missy, was active in 4-H woodworking, showed horses, and was on the Junior Fair Board.

Blake, and his siblings, Sara, Brooks and Brice, were also in 4-H. “Matthew grew up with it. Dad and Mom always had Brown Swiss,” Blake Duffie said.

Matt’s brother Ben, 16, showed swine but now is more interested in baseball and football.

Missy Duffie, said 4-H has taught Matt “how to deal with people and how to talk to people and things they will need for the rest of their life.”

Matt has won showmanship three years in a row at the Preble County Fair and last year won dairy showman of showman.

In 2007, at the Wayne County Fair in Richmond, Ind., he got the senior champion with Rosie.

Preble County Fair

What: Preble County Fair

Where: 722 Franklin St. (Ohio 122 South) Eaton

When: Saturday, Aug. 1 to Saturday, Aug. 8 — gates open 7 a.m.

General admission: $6, children 12 and under free. parking is free

More info: www.preblecountyfair.org or call (937) 456-3748

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Our kids benefited greatly from their years in 4-H, learning how to show their horses and dogs, how to research other projects, leadership skills, good sportsmanship, etc. Preble is one of 13 Ohio counties that won't have 4-H after this year. A juvenile court judge told the Preble County Commissioners that she had NEVER had a 4-H kid as a defendant in her courtroom. Kids who have worked hard to get 4-H scholarships were told there are no funds. This decision is wrong and must be reversed.

Lynda Sappington
4:36 PM, 7/28/2009

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This is a very nice article about the value and traditions taught by Preble County 4-H program.

I have been told that the Preble County commissioners have decided to cut all support to the county extension office and eliminate all 4-H programs beginning at the end of the 2009 fair.

The county commissioners have made a short sighted decision to kill the very program that helps develop the farmers and citizens they depend on for their future.

Obama - how about a little stimulus here?

Former 4-H dad
4:15 PM, 7/28/2009

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