BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—The livestock arena saw a display of skill and dedication Friday night as the Showman of Showmen competition concluded with Sydney Stirm taking the top honor. Following closely behind were Alaina Parr, who earned the Reserve Showman title, and Paityn Hafner, who secured third place.
Representing the Colonel Crawford FFA Chapter, Sydney Stirm’s victory marked the achievement of a long-term goal after she previously placed third in the same competition two years ago. Stirm, who exhibited goats and pigs this year, found herself back in the winner’s circle by seeing all her efforts converge. “I think it’s kind of definitely a goal I’ve had for a while, and so to have everything fall into place,” Stirm said. “I think obviously you work hard to get here, but there’s a lot of things that have to happen just perfect, and so to see everything come together is pretty cool.”
While she noted pigs were her favorite to show because she is “pretty versed” in them, she named the chickens as her least favorite because they are “very scary,” hard to handle, and require memorizing “a lot of random information.” This fall, Stirm plans to attend Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, to pursue an associate degree while competing on the livestock judging team, and eventually transfer to a four-year university to pursue a degree in agricultural communications and agricultural business.
When asked for advice for those looking to follow her path, Stirm shared, “Showmanship is something where you have to work hard, no doubt, but I think as a kid I used to think that working hard directly correlated to success, and frankly, that’s just not how it works. I think working hard and then trusting the process and really leaning on God’s plan, things are eventually going to work out, but without a doubt, it’s not going to be in your timing. It’s definitely going to have to be in others. And so, if you’re interested in being successful in showmanship, I think work hard, trust the process, ask questions, and then let things work how God’s plan has designed them to.”
Stirm credited her success to a wide network of supporters, stating, “I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank my parents. It takes a lot to allow kids to show livestock, and so the fact that they’ve given me the opportunity over the past 10 years to do that has been, without a doubt, so influential on my life. And then of course my siblings, Avary and Isaac — they are my biggest supporters and the people who help me experience all the success I have. And so everything I’ve experienced is also theirs just as much as it’s mine. And then to each and every mentor and person who’s believed in me. I would not be here without the support of so many people, and so I’m thankful for those people for taking a chance on me and offering any encouragement.”
Reserve Showman Alaina Parr, a member of the Liberty Leaders 4-H club, made a significant jump in the standings after placing seventh last year. Showing llamas, ducks, and rabbits, Parr noted that having a year of experience under her belt gave her a “head start” and fueled her desire to improve. Her favorite animals to show were the rabbits or beef because she has shown rabbits her entire life and “loves cows,” while she found the chickens “disgusting.”
Parr’s advice for aspiring showmen focused on curiosity and composure: “Learn as much as you can. Take every opportunity you can to meet new people and learn new things. Don’t be afraid to try new things and just stay calm. Not everything’s going to go your way.”
She expressed gratitude to her family and helpers, saying, “Thank you to my mom for staying up late with me to study before shows. And thank you to my grandma for taking care of my animals when I’m not around. And thank you to everyone that helped me this week.”
Paityn Hafner, an 18-year-old recent graduate of Buckeye Central, secured third place in what was her first time competing in the Showman of Showmen. A member of the Tiro Tailorers and Bailers 4-H club, Hafner exhibited swine at the fair. She favored showing the goats and beef equally but shared the common sentiment regarding chickens, noting they were her least favorite because “they’re just very messy, and they’re very awkward, and they’re just not very clean.”
Hafner described the competition as “super fun” despite the “hard work” required for preparation. Following the fair, she plans to attend nail school this fall.
For those looking to improve their showmanship skills, Hafner advised, “I’d say give your all and 100% on your project just in general and just try to get the most out of it.”
She concluded by saying, “Thank you to my parents for allowing me to just do what I love to do and not holding me back on what I love to do.”
Showman of Showmen Representatives:
Horse – Josie Speck
Dairy – Cole Hudson
Goats – Sydney Stirm
Dairy Beef – Ainsley Johnson
Lambs – Hayden Horning
Alpacas – Alaina Parr
Beef – Isaac Stirm
Swine – Paityn Hafner
Rabbits – Sydney Link
Poultry – Riley Finnan
