Mike Wolanin | The Republic Levi Carothers receives a champion banner from Bartholomew County Fair Queen Lilly Smith for one of his entries in the sheep show during the Bartholomew County Fair at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds in Columbus, Ind., Wednesday, June 28, 2023.
One 4-H sheep exhibitor walked away from Wednesday’s Bartholomew County 4-H Fair sheep show with three major awards in one category.
Lilly Steinwedel won grand champion for market lambs, grand champion for born and raised market lambs, and reserve grand champion for born and raised market lambs.
The fourth award of reserve grand champion for market lambs was awarded to Layne Hoeflinger.
In other categories, Drew Hoeflinger won grand champion in the breeding ewe category, while Lydia Whiteside earned both reserve grand champion and grand champion born and raise breeding ewes. Steinwedel grabbed her fourth major award for reserve grand champion in breeding ewes.
Drew Hoeflinger got his second grand champion award in the breeding rams category., while Steinwedel got her fifth trophy in the same category. Landon Harker earned grand champion honors for county born and raised breeding rams.
During Wednesday’s show at the 4-H Pavilion, a total of 57 animals in 30 classes were judged by Ricky Burns, who owns and operates a livestock operation in Carroll County, northeast of Lafayette.
In terms of entries, that was an improvement over the 40 animals entered last year. However, it is far short of the 74 entries in 2021. The large number of entries two years ago was caused, in part, by the cancellation of the 2020 fair.
But the numbers didn’t surprise many of the estimated 100 people who watched Wednesday’s show. Even before the pandemic, several Bartholomew County families said those who exhibit sheep tend to be a small, close-knit group that often socialize and help one another.
Overall 4-H membership in Bartholomew County dropped by over 200 members after the breakout of COVID-19, but 4-H leaders say it is slowly rising back to normal.
This year, many sheep competitors brought multiple entries. For example, the winner of the Hampshire Down ewe class, as two classes of Hampshire Down yearlings, was first-year exhibitor Ben Rapp. However, the 10-year-old student at CSA Lincoln had the only lamb entered in all three of those classes.
“Yeah, I’d like to have a little more competition,” he said.
He wasn’t the only competitor who didn’t have competition — 13 out of 30 classes had only one entry.
When judging breeding sheep, Burns has been taught to look for ewes that are functional and have longevity, but still have enough muscle where they can produce market animals.
However, when judging market animals, it’s the relationship between muscle and leanness, as well as how kept they look, that is most important, according to past judges.
One teen from the Elizabethtown area who has become synonymous with the sheep show for several fairs is Riley Carothers, 18, who competed for the last time in 4-H Wednesday.
Although she lost to her brother, Levi, in the Katahdin yearling competition, Riley was all smiles.
“We work our sheep together, so I’m constantly working his and he’s constantly working mine,” the recent Columbus East High School graduate said. “So it doesn’t matter whether he wins or I win because it’s a win for both of us.”
Levi Carothers, 14, said taking care of their animals is quite a bit of work. But the incoming Columbus North High School freshman said he felt good about the way all his animals performed in the arena.
Today at the fair
Swallow Tail Solar Farm Day
8:30 a.m.: Lil’ Wrangler & 4-H Dairy Show – Pavilion
12:30 p.m.: Lil’ Wrangler Beef /Starter Calf – Pavilion
1 p.m.: 4-H Beef Show – Pavilion
5–10 p.m.: Lil’ Hands on the Farm, 4-H Community Building, Family Arts and Commercial Buildings open
5 p.m.: Midway Opens – BOGO $30 Wristbands – Buy One Get One
6-8 p.m.: Soil & Water Demo – Extension Homemakers’ and SWCD Fair Week Activity – Family Arts Building
6:30 p.m.: 4-H Horse & Pony Parent & Alumni & Horse Show, Color Guard presentation by the Indiana National Guard Mounted Ceremonial Unit
7 p.m.: 4-H Blacksmithing Continuous Demonstrations throughout evening – Building 6
7 p.m.: 4-H Rooster Crowing Contest – Gathering Pavilion
7 p.m.: Columbus City Band – David Boll Theatre
7 p.m.: Southern Indiana Dirt Drags – Grandstand
7 p.m.: Kyle Rutan – Farm Bureau Building
8 p.m.: Working Chute Contest sponsored by Bartholomew County FFA Alumni – Pavilion
