By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
To try to get to sleep many people turn to counting sheep. In the grand arena Monday night the sheep were not being counted, they were being judged.
Junior Fair contestants paraded around the ring hoping that their ewe or ram would take top prize. In her last time showing at the Crawford County Fair Jenna Delarber took Grand Champion for both ewe and ram.
“It is really awesome, Delarber said. “This is my last year showing, so it is pretty awesome to go out like that.”
Delarber noted that the hardest part of the contest was choosing the right sheep.
“The hard part is definitely picking them out, because we have a pretty decent size flock, so we have to weed out which ones we want,” Delarber added. “So definitely picking out which ones and getting them settled down to work how we want them to.”
Delarber explained her favorite part of the project.
“Raising them from babies,” Delarber noted. “That is definitely when they are at their cutest, so I like to see them grow up from being so small to what they are now.”
Taking the blue ribbon in the Senior Lamb Showmanship was Michelle Flock; Flock explained what it took to be a top showman.
“I have been running lambs, I have putting them on the stands, I have been working with them every night setting them up, and I have come up with some creative ideas like putting pallets underneath them so they learn to stand, ” Flock added.
Flock explained how it feels to win the showmanship award.
“It is kind of exciting, I did a lot of work in the barn this year, so I just feel grateful that I finally won,” Flock said.
“I think the most difficult thing is getting them ready for the show, because it is so high pressure around here, that you kind of have to know what you are doing and do it,” Flock said.
Emily Rudd took grand champion in the intermediate class with Garrett Billings receiving the reserve champion award. Braden Siefert took top prize in the junior class, while Livia Leonhart won reserve.
Market Lamb results:
Lightweight:
Grand Champion – Emily Rudd
Reserve Champion – Livia Leonhart
Middleweight:
Grand Champion – Braden Siefert
Reserve Champion – Ethan Martin
Heavyweight:
Grand Champion – Livia Leonhart
Reserve Champion- Emily Rudd
Overall:
Grand Champion – Braden Sefert
Reserve Champion Ethan Martin