County fair week evokes memories for local family

4-H taught 4 kids how to win and how to lose

Greg and Pam Gerrard Flitner raised their four children, Jordan, Morgan, Colton and Scottie, on their ranch in Shell Valley, in the shadow of the Big Horns, where Greg was raised, still farms and ranches and where he was introduced to the fun and involvement of 4-H. Pam also was in 4-H growing up, so both were full aware of the rewards and lessons learned in membership.
All four former 4-Hers spread their wings and have lives they find fulfilling, but they are still close to their roots.
Pam shared several of her favorite memories of her young 4-Hers, including an invasion at one county fair that none of them will forget.
“The Shell Rough Riders’ 4-H Club, when our kids were involved, was very involved in the Days of ‘49. One of the funniest things that they did was a stick horse brigade. They all had stick horses. They all dressed like cowboys and did a choreographed routine. We had a lot of young members, but there were still plenty of mishaps during their troupe down the street during the parade. More cowboys  hit the dirt during that parade than in any  event at the rodeo.”
And then came the “invasion.”
Pam continued her memories. “Our family, like many of the 4-H families, loved  the county fair. For us, it was our vacation. We would take the trailer over (to the fairgrounds in Basin) on Friday night because we had the dog show on Saturday and haul it back home after the demolition derby 10 days later.“One year, on the first Sunday, I had to go home and get some things that we had forgotten. The kids were older and I left them there while I was gone for a few hours. When I came back, there were probably 20 kids at the trailer...in the trailer, under the trailer, on the trailer, smiles around. Being the hosts, the kids had invited everyone to eat and boy, did they. A week’s worth of groceries gone in a few hours...”
Pam can be proud that the “trailer invaders” were friendly, well-intentioned, and went home well-fed.  A memory the whole family remembers.
Pam’s other memories include 10-year-old Morgan showing her horse in her bare feet because her new boots proved too painful. Pam said she saw the boots in the grass, looked at Morgan and saw she was barefoot....and the judges never noticed.
As the years progressed, so did the number of categories for competition. Pam said they competed in horse, sheep, swine and cattle - and in photography, interior design, cooking and sewing.
All four children joined 4-H as soon as they could. “4-H has always been a big part of their lives. It taught them how to win — and it taught them how to lose
The memories, oh, the memories. All four have out-grown 4-H, but Greg and Pam have a three-year-old granddaughter.  They may have another 4-H’er on their hands in a few more years, and more memories to store away. Of 4-H, county fairs and state fairs. After all, 4-H is a family affair.