‘Blood, sweat and tears’
WAYNESBURG – It was a very special night at the Greene County Fair for 17-year-old Jamie Patton of Waynesburg.
Patton, the daughter of Jeff and Jeanie Patton, has shown lambs in the 4-H Market Lamb Show for the last three years but has never had a winner – until now.
Before a packed audience inside the fairground’s livestock barn Wednesday, Patton’s 120-pound lamb was chosen the grand champion of the 2013 4-H Market Lamb Show.
Patton was asked what does it take to present the top lamb at the fair after accepting numerous congratulatory hugs. “It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” Patton responded. “It takes a lot of work, everyday. It’s definitely hard.”
It also took a lot of confidence entering the show ring, confidence that gave her the ability to show her animal to the judge at its best, she said.
This was Patton’s last year to show lambs at the fair. Now a senior at Waynesburg Central High School, Patton said her plans after graduation are to enlist in the U.S. Army and to become a veterinarian.
Her lamb was given the chance to vie for the top prize after earlier being chosen the winner of the light middleweight division and champion of the middleweight division.
Showing the reserve grand champion was 12-year-old Hayden Demniak, son of David and Cindy Demniak of Carmichaels, who showed the grand champion lamb last year, and the reserve grand champion the year before that.
Demniak also is no stranger to the winners’ circle on the state level. He showed the grand champion market lamb in each of the past two years at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show in Harrisburg.
Demniak’s 130-pound lamb had been chosen winner of the light heavyweight division and was champion of the heavyweight division.
The 64 lambs entered in Wednesday’s show were divided into three weight classes for judging, and a champion and reserve champion were selected in each division. From the six champions and reserve champions, the overall grand champion and reserve grand champion were chosen.
The judge for this year’s show was Trey Miller of Baltimore, Ohio, a member of the 2012 Ohio State livestock judging team. Miller examined each animal closely gauging its stature, muscle and finish and took time to explain to each participant what he liked about his animal.
Showing the champion of the lightweight lamb was Walker Smith, 14, of Waynesburg and presenting the reserve champion lightweight was Courtney Ross, 12, of Aleppo.
The reserve champion in the middleweight division was a lamb showed by Avery Berdine, 11, of New Freeport. Showing the reserve champion in the heavyweight division was Bryn Patton, 11, of Waynesburg.
The 37 steers showed Tuesday at the 4-H Market Steer Show and the 64 lambs from Wednesday’s competition will be sold at auction at 6:30 p.m. today in the livestock barn.