4-H Sheep Show a “Shear” Success

Dunkirk, NY (July 20, 2023) Wednesday evening the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s 4-H Sheep Project participants showed in the 4-H Sheep Show. Sheep Program participants have owned their Market Sheep for at least 85 days and have owned their breeding animals in many cases for multiple years. Youth in the Sheep Breeding Project continue to expand their herd each year adding additional quality and working to preserve certain traits and characteristics. Youth in the 4-H Sheep Project spend a great deal of time raising, caring, and conditioning each animal. Sheep in particular, have to regularly be sheared, have veterinarian exams, and exercised. Wednesday’s Sheep Show, judged by Clay Schoen saw all sunny skies with 24 Market Lambs and 11 Breeding Sheep.

In Showmanship Classes sheep exhibitors are judged on their showing abilities, including how they handle their animal and, in some cases, others’ animals as well. First Year Junior Champion Showman was awarded to Olivia Kwilos. Second Year Junior Champion Showman was awarded to Lydia Cross. Third year and over Junior Champion Showman was Luke Jones and Reserve Champion went to Tianna Bova. Third year and over Senior Champion Showman was Hannah Cross with Baker Huntington bringing home Reserve Champion. Receiving top honors as Grand Champion Showman was Hannah Cross with Luke Jones receiving Reserve honors.

Market Lambs are evaluated in four divisions by weight: Light, Medium, Light-Heavy and Heavy Weight. A Grand Champion Market and Reserve Champion Market Lamb are also honored as top market lambs for 2023. Each Market Lamb participant is eligible to sell their top animals at the Meat Animal Sale on Friday July 21st, at 12 noon. This year the 4-H Lamb Project will sell 17 lambs at the Meat Animal Sale. In this year’s Market Lamb classes top honors in the Lightweight class went to Grady Huntington and Ida Jones receiving reserve. In the Medium Weight class Tianna Bova was the champion and Tianna also received reserve honors. The Light-Heavy Weight was won by Cayla Damcott, with Baker Huntington taking reserve. In the Heavy Weight division Hannah Cross received champion and Olivia Kwilos received reserve. Top Market honors, earning a place as first lamb sold at the Meat Animal Sale, was given to Hannah Cross with her heavyweight lamb and Olivia Kwilos took home Reserve Champion Market lamb. Third overall went to Lydia Cross; forth overall was held by Grady Huntington and fifth overall went to Cayla Damcott.

Additional Lamb results are listed here:

Pair of Market Lambs: First place – Paige WInton

Grade Classes:

Ewe 1 and under 2 – Paige Winton

Spring Ewe Lamb- Olivia Kwilos

Pair of ewe lambs- Olivia Kwilos

Kaitlyn Brown with her 4-H Lamb talking to the judge Clay Schoen

The 4-H Youth Development Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated July 20, 2023