BUCYRUS—On Friday evening, ten livestock exhibitors competed in the Showman of Showmen contest to try and prove that they are the best of the best.
The Showman of Showmen competition is when the top senior livestock exhibitor (aged between fourteen to nineteen years old) from each species competes against each other, showing every one of the species that can be shown at the fair. There can only be one showman per species, so if the same person wins showmanship in more than one species, they pick which one they would like to represent. The species representative is not allowed to participate in the class for which they won.
The different animals that were shown were horses, dairy, goats, dairy beef feeders, lambs, alpacas, beef steers, swine, rabbits, and poultry.
This year’s winner, Kendal Widman, is an eight-year member of the Sulphur Springs Star Farmers 4-H club and represented the beef barn.
“My favorite animal to show was the goat because I know how to show them, and I really like goats. Without a doubt, the horses were my least favorite because it wouldn’t listen to me or cooperate at all,” Widman said of her experience.
Being that Widman won, she will not be able to participate in the Showman of Showmen competition in her remaining years of 4-H. Should she win showmanship in any of her species in the upcoming years, the reserve champion showman will be in the competition.
This year’s reserve showman, Alana Burkhart, is a member of the Barnyard Guys & Gals 4-H club in her last year in 4-H.
“Learning rabbits was my favorite because I got really good and learned the terminology about the rabbits and how to handle them. I became quite good at it and had really good teachers along the way, and I’m very thankful for that. I’d say the horses were my least favorite because I was the most nervous because they were first, and you have to get your nerves out of the way. Those and alpacas were my least favorites, but horses a little more,” Burkhart said. “I’m very proud of myself for the hard work I’ve put in over the last twelve years, and I am also proud of my fellow exhibitors—we had a crazy good competition out there with crazy good showmen,” Burkhart said.
Widman and Burkhart tied for first with a score of thirty-five, so the tiebreaker was to see who had the most first places. Lexie Wood finished in third place with a score of thirty-eight.
The other showmen were as follows:
Horses – Izzy Novak
Dairy – Lane Bauer
Goats – Alana Burkhart
Dairy Beef – Avery Langenderfer
Lambs – Kendal Widman
Alpacas – Maria Smith
Beef – Kylee Bloomfield
Swine – Lexie Wood
Rabbits – Blaine Bishop
Poultry – Bryce Tieben