Scramblin' for Calves

Fearless Leader was selected for the calf scramble Saturday night. The prize was $500 to help with 4-H show animal expenses. 14 kids running after 7 calves--get the idea.
If you've never seen a calf scramble, this is how it works. First, a group of kids line up on the chalk line. Then, the calves are released into the arena. When the shout goes out, all the kids run after the calves, catch one, put a halter on it, and lead drag it back across the chalk line. It may sound like a simple task...but it's not!
Calves have a tendency (not unlike children) to want to go their own way. They don't like to be told what to do (see, I told you they're like children) and do NOT like to be caught or lead around. There is a good deal or running around in circles and falling in the dirt. Just because it is a *young* cow, doesn't mean it's very small. A calf can pull many an adult around, so you can imagine what it does with kids.
So Fearless Leader and the 13 other kids lined up. Honestly, I knew he'd catch one, but I was still nervous. He left the line at the lead, ran around in circles for a bit, then got one cornered. After it drug him around for a bit, he tried flipping it over on himself. Meanwhile, I'm screaming my head off and cheering him on. The calf wasn't cooperating and it took him several minutes to get it down. He layed on top of it while trying to get the halter on. Finally--it seemed like 30 minutes, but was really only a few--he got it haltered and up. Then the dragging starts...and continues. When you pull on the halter of an animal that's not used to being lead, the animal digs in its feet and sets back on its haunches a bit. This makes it very difficult to pull the animal. It's not unlike dragging a square boulder. With some ear bending and tail twisting, he finally got the calf across the line, got it down again, and sat on it. He was the FIRST to catch one and thus netted a nice prize. Now all he has to do is decide what animal to show at the fair...