Wednesday, June 20, 2012 • Daily News
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Montcalm County 4-H Fair Association P.O. Box 513 Greenville, MI 48838 Phone: (616) 754-7884
Honoring Allison, ‘Grandpa Curtis’ By Lisa Johnson
Montcalm County 4-H Information Coordinator
Although they were born 62 years apart, Curtis Barendregt and Allison Pyle had many things in common. They both loved horses and being involved in showing horses, especially at the Montcalm County 4-H Fair. Allison, at seven years of age, was too young to show as a 4-H’er, but she was able to participate as a “clover bud.” With her mom, Joann Pyle, on the other end of a lead line, Allison rode her horse, Miss Chaquita, in the clover bud classes at the 2011 fair. “Grandpa Curtis,” as he was known by many of the 4-H’ers at the fair, was more than a few years past showing horses, but he loved Allison to watch his grandchildren and Pyle the other 4-H’ers take their turns in the arena. He was always happy to hold onto a horse or wield a brush to help prepare one of the Tri-County Country kids horses for the show. Although Allison and Grandpa Curtis were both battling cancer, they made it to the fair and got to see the new fairgrounds last year. Allison may have been much younger than Grandpa Curtis, but she was the veteran in the war on Curtis “Grandpa” cancer with more than three years Barendregt into the fight. She had been diagnosed at age 3 with a stage 4 kidney cancer. At the time of last year’s fair, Grandpa Curtis was unaware that it was cancer that had caused him to be hospitalized at the beginning the fair. But, even though his doctors told him to go home and rest, he made a detour to the fair and was able to watch his granddaughter, Emma Gould, win Grand Champion Western Pleasure Horse. Unfortunately, both Allison and Grandpa Curtis lost their battles with cancer just a month apart last winter. Allison passed away the day after Christmas and Grandpa Curtis on Jan. 28.
Daily News/Ryan Schlehuber
The newly constructed backdrop for a photography stage for 4-H participants and their animals is almost completed at Montcalm County 4-H Fairgrounds in Greenville. The backdrop, funded through donations, was built in tribute to Allison Pyle and Curtis “Grandpa” Barendregt, who both succumbed to cancer last year.
It didn’t take long for both families what you would find at a very large, to get behind the project and decide professional horse venue. to sponsor the backdrop in addition “We are lucky to have such a beauto several horse stalls. The brick back- tiful backdrop at our fair,” Baese said. Adding ‘touch of class’ with drop is large enough to accommoThe back drop will be mostly finnew brick-walled backdrop date several horses and riders for ished by fair time. This fall, a pair of group photos. It is also nearly 8 feet Norway Spruce will be planted to Even in their grief both families remembered their loved tall so that it can be used with mount- flank the wall. ones’ special love of horses and the fair. For this year’s fair, ed or dismounted riders. “This wall adds a touch of class to which is June 24-30, each family designated memorial Don Baese, a horse leader, points our grounds,” horse leader Barb donations for horse stalls at the new fairgrounds. out that the backdrop is similar to Altizer said. “It is fitting that the wall The donors were supportive and generous, so much so that, during a horse leaders meeting, Joann Pyle and Tammy Gould, Grandpa Curtis’ daughter, were discussing how many stalls they could sponsor in their loved ones’ names. About that same time, another horse leader brought up an idea for a club project — creating a backdrop for 4-H’ers to have • Federally Inspected their photos taken with their animals.
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