For Tom Bayliss, the catch-a-calf event at the Johnson County Fair gives him the opportunity to honor the memory of his son, Mike Bayliss.

Tyler Shoemaker, 13, catches a calf during the Johnson County Fair’s catch-a-calf contest Wednesday evening in the North Arena. Press-Citizen/Matthew Holst

For Kyle Volk, 13, the event gives him the opportunity to showcase everything he's learned in his fours year of 4-H.

Volk, who is going into the eighth grade in the Clear Creek Amana School District, was one of the three participants who caught a heifer calf at Wednesday's event.

Five people participated, but there were only three calves that were available.

"It went very well. I was very pleased that we had that many participants," said Bayliss, who started the event in memory of his son, who died in a car accident in 1997.

"It didn't take very long. They're very assertive young people," said Bayliss of Riverside.

Only 4-H or Future Farmers of America members in the intermediate level, or seventh or eighth grade, are allowed to participate.

The mothers for this year's catch-a-calf event were the ones being chased two years ago. Traditionally, youths who catch the calves are responsible for raising them and bringing back their first-born calves to the annual event.

"It's a new responsibility they're willing to undertake," Bayliss said.

Volk said he enjoyed the event.

"It was really fun - maybe just a little hard," said Volk, who was cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd of more than 20 people.

Volk will receive his heifer calf in October or September because the calf he was supposed to receive died at birth and the owners brought a bull calf to Wednesday's event.

It was Volk's first time trying to catch a calf, and he said he did no training beforehand. He said he feels prepared for raising the calf because 4-H has taught him how to raise and take care of them.

After four years, the participants have a chance to receive $500 in scholarships based on their accomplishments with the program, Bayliss said.

Scholarships will be awarded today at the fair's awards ceremony.