The 18-year-old from Crowes Mills still can’t believe she will be attending the European Young Breeders School in Battice, Belgium Sept. 2 to 6.
“I found out while I was in physics class (at Cobequid Educational Centre) in June and I started to cry. I’m so excited. There’s no words to describe it … it hasn’t sunk in yet,” Megan told the Truro Daily News.
“I never thought I’d be doing this; it’s a complete honour.”
Megan said the “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to be part of Team Canada resulted from a 4-H event in Truro last year when she received ‘grand champion dairy individual’ at an EastGen Showcase. She is only one of six Canadians to participate in the Belgium school and expects there to be “hundreds” of people attending from all over the world to learn 4-H skills, including learning to wash, clip and show animals. There’s also a competition at the end of the week.
“I just love working with animals, having a bond with them and seeing them progress. I’m really excited about learning new things and meeting new people. I don’t know how (well) I’ll do … but every time you do a show you learn new things and I have good animal skills which will help because we will be working with untrained calves,” Megan said.
“It’s doable but challenging and it depends on how head strong the animal is. ”
Megan believes having a bond with an animal makes a tremendous difference.
“You have to be calm and not show your frustration” if things aren’t going as well as desired. “I think the animal senses if you are frustrated. You need to feed off each other or they won’t co-operate.”
Megan has a goal for the trip, regardless how she does in the competition.
“One of my goals is to get my name out in the dairy world because it opens up more opportunities for my future,” she said, adding while she’s undecided which path to take in the long term, she will be attending Dalhousie Agricultural Campus in Bible Hill next month, studying pre-veterinarian medicine.
As for 4-H, Megan urges all youth to give it a try.
“Everyone should do it. It provides so much experience and so many life skills. It helps you find yourself and gives you opportunities you won’t get anywhere else.”
Twitter: tdnMonique
PROFILE:
Who: Megan Wynn
Age: 18
Resident of: Crowes Mills
Employed with: Cobequid Holsteins Farm in Masstown
Opportunity: Will be one of six youth from Canada to participate in the European Young Breeders School in Battice, Belgium.
Trip paid for by: Holstein Canada
Years in 4-H: Four, specializing in dairy for the past three years
Special honour: Among other awards, Megan was selected to participate as a member of Team Nova Scotia at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto in November 2014.
