By Jordan Studer
jstuder@wbcowqel.com
Poised, relaxed, sophisticated anything but nervous. As Taylor Lutz walked around the arena on Friday evening at the Showman of Showmen Contest, the way she carried herself just screamed winner. No matter what was thrown her way, third-year competitor in Showman of Showmen, always seemed to have a huge, confident smile on her face.
Despite all of Lutz’s professional displays, the competition was very close. Lutz won with a total of 21points and following shortly behind her with 24 points was Jessica Millenbaugh.
The two showmen were battling throughout the entire evening. The first round, showing steers, Millenbaugh took first place with Lutz in second.
The second round, showing horses, Lutz took first with Millenbaugh taking second. Next up, dairy beef, which Lutz was excluded from since she won that in her showmanship earlier this week, Millenbaugh took first however.
The battle continued as Lutz took first in dairy and Millenbaugh fourth. The role was reversed once again as Millenbaugh took first in lambs with Lutz in fourth.
Millenbaugh again took first with the goats and Lutz was in second. Millenbaugh didn’t have to show swine and Lutz got second. In the alpacas, Millenbaugh again took first with Lutz in second.
In the end, Lutz came out on top after Millenbaugh had a rocky round the rabbits and poultry taking fifth and seventh. She redeemed herself with taking first with the dogs, however that wasn’t enough to back her out of her slight rut, leaving her with a total score of twenty-four and Lutz with twenty-one.
When talking to Millenbaugh about the evening she comments, “I think what kinda killed me was, well the poultry, that kinda killed me a little bit, but the dairy cow. I’m used to handling cattle and dairy cows are just shown different.”
After she won Lutz said she felt, “excited, kind of surprised.” Lutz was actually last year’s Showman, so that answer was surprising. To clarify Lutz says, “I did win last year, but I knew the competition was kind of stiffer this year, I knew there was more pressure this year.”
Bringing up how confident Lutz looked in every category the question had to be asked if she was nervous about anything the evening threw her way. “Oh yeah for sure, I might look calm out there but on the inside I’m nervous,” Lutz says with a laugh.
The animal that made her most nervous: “Probably the alpacas and the small animals like the chicken and rabbit because it’s more one on one time and I’m used to cows which is a further distance from the judge.”
Funny that she said the alpaca made her most nervous because she looked to be like she was the most calm and happy one out there that round.
All competitors did a tremendous job and handled everything to the best of their ability and looked happy to try to show different animals.
Also awarded at the beginning of the show were Outstanding Exhibitor awards for each type of animal, as well as Outstanding Interviewer awards. The Outstanding Interviewer awards went to Collin Langenderfer in the male category. Annie Fienning won the female division.