Page 2-farm and Home Section, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 25, 2000 4 Adopted ’ Sisters Represent PA Angus Royalty LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) Jessica Schmidt, 17, and Katrina Frey, 10, consider them selves sisters, not by blood or by legal adoption, but by the close relationship they honed through involvement in sheep and live stock 4-H Clubs. Now the two share another activity together. The Pennsyl vania Angus Association se lected Jessica as the state Angus Queen and Katrina as the Angus Sweetheart. The two travel to shows throughout Pennsylvania and into other states by repre senting the Keystone State’s Angus Association. Seventeen-year-old Jessica excels in both beef and sheep showing. But it’s the hefty black Angus that provides the most challenge to the slender teen. “I prefer cattle because I get more of a thrill out of working with bigger, animals. Plus they have more personality,” Jessica said. The close relationship be tween the two “sisters” started when Katrina’s parents, Nancy and Fritz Frey, Quarryville, were Jessica’s 4-H leaders. Then two-year-old Katrina started shadowing Jessica. Although both parents are veteran showmen who had achieved championships in sev eral states during their youth, it was Jessica who Katrina wanted to emulate. It was Jessica who taught the girl seven years her junior the intricate details of showing sheep and later cattle. “Wherever Jessica goes, Ka trina goes,” Nancy said. Katrina wanted to be just like the teenager who garnered ribbon upon ribbon for show manship and paying attention to details in record keeping, and other 4-H activities. So far, she’s managing to mirror almost ev erything Jessica has done. Just like Jessica had done, Katrina won the Novice Shepherd of the Year in her first year in Woolies In addition to livestock showing, Jessica excelled in live stock and meats judging, competing at the national levels in 4-H and FFA. Club. Both continue to win the record book awards in sheep and cattle clubs. “I think our moms spur us on,” Jessica said of the advan tage of having their moms as 4- H leaders. “They’re here whenever we have a question.” Interestingly, the mothers consider themselves best friends. “Four-H establishes friend ships between parents as well as between the kids,” her mom said. Jessica’s parents, Pete and Laurie, own Susquehannock Farm and Susquehannock Landscape, Drumore, which is situated only a few miles from the Susquehanna River. Although Jessica’s brother, John, 16, owns some of the ani mals on the farm, most belong to Jessica. In addition to her two Angus cows, two Angus heifers, a crossbred steer, and 33 sheep, the family’s pets include four turkeys, a flock of chickens, two dogs, and an assortment of cats. Representing both the Dorset and Montadale breeds are 13 ewes and 20 lambs. Over the year’s Jessica has bred better genetics which has enabled her to take top prizes consistently in showing locally and in neighbor ing states. For seven years, Jessica was part of the livestock judging club. Last year the state team qualified for national competi tion where they placed 14th. “That’s the highest placing an east coast team ever achieved,” Jessica said. According to 4-H rules, Jes sica is no longer eligible for the team after qualifying for nation als. “l really miss it and wish I could do it again. It was awe some at nationals,” she said. She also was a member of the meats judging team that placed first in junior and senior state competi tions. Her FFA team also quali fied for national competition, where they won a silver medal, again making her ineligible for Pennsylvania Angus Queen Jessica Schmidt is assisted in her promotional duties by Pennsylvania Angus Sweetheart Katrina Frey. The two have long considered them selves sisters, not through blood or legal adoption, but through the'Close relationship honed through 4-H involvement. Shown with them are Jessica’s-favorite Angus, Twiz zler and Black Hawk. FFA livestock judging this year. “I really hope to join the Penn State judging team,” Jessica said. Nancy said, “Jessica is really good at teaching others to fit, show, and shear. She is our number one demonstrator.” Jessica tells her younger charges: “Try your best. Get in volved as much as you can, not just at Round-Up. Try your hardest and stick with it.” Jessica was president of the Woolies 4-H Club two years ago, and is a senior at Solanco High School, where she is first vice president of the FFA. Although Jessica helps with the family’s landscaping busi ness by mulching, edging, weed ing, planting, and mowing clients’ yards, she said her true interest lies in livestock. In the fall, she plans to attend Penn State York Campus to study animal science. “She isn’t sure where career plans will lead her, but one thing is certain: “I want a job working with livestock,” she said. So far, she has earned several scholarships through agriculture and hopes to garner a few more. Another place to find Katrina and Jessica is in the travel traile r of Frey’s Livestock Supplies. They travel from show to show to sell livestock supplies. “I put the queen in charge of my kids and the business,” Nancy said of Jessica’s mature ability to manage people and business. For as young as she is, Ka trina has managed to accumu - late numerous impressive titles in both cattle and sheep compe tition. In 1998, with her Angus heifer Princess, Katrina won the Jackpot Division of the Mon tana Treasure Chest. Princess now has five sons. Katrina wishes they had been daughters; nevertheless two bull calves For two years in a row, Ka trina showed the champion ewe in the Suffolk breed at the Penn sylvania Farm Show. The ewe named Valentine also garnered second and third placing* in the Massachuttes Junior Sheep Show and at the Atlantic National Breeders’ Show held in Maryland. Katrina keeps her sheep at her maternal grandmother’s farm, and her cattle on her paternal grandfather’s farm. This is the lambing season, and it’s Katrina’s job to bottlefeed several newborn lambs. In addi tion to helping with her grand- Both Jessica and Katrina excel in sheep showing and have won numerous ribbons at local, regional, state, and out-of-state shows. mother’s flock, Katrina has four Suffolk, one Cheviot, and two baby Cheviots and a Montadale. Katrina is a member of the choir at Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren. She plays the Clarinet in school and is a fourth grader. Already she is getting a headstart in livestock judging. As a member of the team, she is allowed to participate 4n all practices and all contests below the state level. Before she joined the judging team, Katrina already was able to name all the parts of animals and the different breeds. She ex- (Turn to Pago 3)
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