Youth display sheep at Farm Show

By Catherine Amos

Published: July 11, 2008

Like Frogger trying to avoid oncoming cars, CMR farm show participants traversed the hay-covered fairgrounds at the Culpeper Agricultural Enterprises Friday, doing their best to avoid fresh droppings from sheep, cattle and goats.

Friday’s schedule featured the goat and sheep shows, where dozens of local 4-H youth presented themselves and their animals for judging in showmanship contests divide by age groups. Around 1 p.m., face-to-face conversation was barely audible above the unified chorus of bleating sheep ready to compete.

Rixeyville resident and junior-level 4-H member Tori Bailey, 11, was preparing to display “Calamity Jane,” one of her four sheep, in the breeding show. This is her third year participating.

“Last year I showed pigs, too,” Bailey said, “but I got trampled by one, so I wanted to take a break. (Right now) I’m watching the seniors because if you watch the seniors, you know what the judge is looking for. This is a new judge, so I’ve never actually seen him before.”

Bailey and friend Emma Leppke, 13, who won first place in showmanship for her goat, said judge Eric Strogdale was looking for how the animals are “set up.” That means he was looking at their muscles and posture, and owners can display this through “setting” their animals by lifting them at the head and neck.

“He’s looking for a showman,” said show announcer Joan Proctor. “The person has to show that sheep off to the best of his ability. If you were a buyer looking to buy a sheep, you’ve got to see all the angles, and that child has to present that animal the best he can.”

When it was time for her class to compete, Bailey led Calamity Jane into the sale barn with six other competitors, where they paraded their sheep around the ring to be judged. Strogdale examined each animal and asked owners questions about their strength and weaknesses.

He also looked for control of the animal, and unfortunately for some kids, the sheep didn’t always cooperate — one nearly kicked the judge.

After a series of assessments, Strogdale declared Bailey the winner of her age class.

“She does the best job of setting her lamb and wins this class very handily,” he told the crowd of about 50 spectators.

She wasn’t “really nervous,” Bailey said, but was “nervous a little” during the show.

“When I was leading her, she didn’t want to lead so I had to push her ‘go’ button a little bit,” she said. The “go” button is a sheep’s stub of a tail. “I’m just really happy and excited.”

Bailey, Rocky Top Farm’s “sheep wrangler,” decorated her stall in a western theme, with “WANTED” signs adorning the area describing each animal, along with informative posters full of sheep facts.

For example, “you can tell their age by looking at their teeth,” one poster read. “They don’t have top front teeth.” Another read, “Sheep are ruminants. They have four stomachs. They eat fast and regurgitate their food, called ‘cud,’ to finish chewing it.”

Bailey said she enjoys 4-H and the farm show because she likes to hang out with her friends and meet other animals. Leppke agreed.

“I just love my goat,” she said. “It’s just really fun for me.”

Catherine Amos can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 138 or .