Above: Analyn Kwilos who took home the Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb and also the Reserve Champion Showmanship Awards in the Market Lamb Show.

4-H youth recently showed their sheep at the Chautauqua County Fair at the 4-H Sheep Show.

Sheep program participants raised their market lambs for at least 85 days, but many have owned their breeding animals for multiple years. There were 28 market lambs and 8 breeding sheep in the 4-H sheep show.

Youth in the Sheep Breeding Project continue to expand their herd each year to preserve desirable traits while building the quality of their stock. They spend a great deal of time raising, caring for and conditioning their animals, as well as regularly shearing the sheep of their wool.

In Showmanship Classes, sheep exhibitors are judged on their showing abilities, including how they handle the animal. First Year Junior Champion Showman was awarded to Lu Jones. Second Year Junior Champion Showman was awarded to Greyson Kwilos. Third year and over Junior Champion Showman was Olivia Kwilos and Reserve Champion was Braelyn Mistretta. Third year and over Senior Champion Showman was Cayla Damcott and Addison Damcott was Reserve Champion. Olivia Kwilos received top honors as Grand Champion Showman and Avalyn Kwilos received Reserve Honors.

Market Lambs are split into four weight classes: light, medium, light-heavy and heavy weight. The champion in the lightweight class was Lyle Hamilton, with Piper Hamilton receiving reserve. Grady Hamilton was champion of the medium weight class, with Bryan Cantanese as reserve. The light-heavy weight was won by Olivia Kwilos, with Avalyn Kwilos taking reserve. Greyson Kwilos was champion of the heavy weight division and also took reserve with another lamb. Top market honors, earning a place as the first lamb sold at the meat animal sale, were given to Olivia Kwilos, with Avalyn Kwilos as reserve. Third and fourth overall went to Greyson Kwilos with his two lambs, and fifth overall went to Grady Huntington.

For the Ewe 1 and under category, first place went to Cayla Damcott and second to Addison Damcott. Cayla Damcott had the Champion Ewe and Addison Damcott the reserve champion.

The Sheep Show was judged by Mattie Horchler. Of the 28 4-H Market lambs judged at the fair, 21 were sold at the meat animal sale.