CHANUTE — Brynleigh Shultz, age 8, entered 4-H this past year with a delighted enthusiasm and a love for animals.
When a neighbor offered her a newborn calf to use as a 4-H project, Brynleigh gathered her nerves to discuss the matter like a true professional.
“I’m willing to take your bucket calf, if I can,” she told him.
Once she’d taken on the responsibility, Brynleigh realized she didn’t know much about raising a calf. Her mom and stepfather, Nickole and Ryan Herder, helped her research how to care for the animal. The family lives in rural Chanute near the four corners of Allen, Neosho, Woodson and Wilson counties.
Brynleigh will compete at the Allen County Fair for the first time next week. The fair is July 27-30.
She is a member of the Logan Pals 4-H Club.
After taking her calf home, Brynleigh had to bottle-feed it every morning and evening. At each feeding, he would wag his tail.
So, naturally, she named him Wags.
Next, she had to learn how to put a halter on Wags and lead him. Though he’s quite large, Brynleigh wasn’t intimidated.
It took time to bond with Wags.
“For a couple of days, he wouldn’t come to me. He was scared,” she recalled.
She found a solution. Every day, she would take a chair and a book to Wags’ pen and read to him. Mostly, they read “Junie B. Jones” books together as well as “The Cat in the Hat.”
“He literally sits down next to me,” she said.
Once, she brought a blanket next to his pen and took a nap beside him.
“When I woke up, his head was sticking out of his pen.”
Another time, she placed a bow on his head and took a picture with an iPad.
Her efforts worked.
“Now, every time I go to feed him, he’s rubbing all over me,” she said, laughing.
WAGS isn’t Brynleigh’s only 4-H project.
She also takes care of three Suffolk sheep.
