The Handshake

Livestock exhibitions go back a long way for our family, from draft horses to cattle and sheep. As a 4-H member, my grandpa showed sheep at his county fair. He first took animals to the State Fair in 1978. As I was growing up, Grandpa, Mom, and I traveled with Shropshire sheep around the Midwest.

State Fair Grand Champion was always Grandpa’s goal. In 1995, he earned a Reserve Champion, but he passed away in June 2000 without attaining that Grand Champion prize.

Our preparations for this year’s State Fair began almost a year ago as we made breeding decisions. Starting in January, the Shetland lambs were born. We watched how they grew and picked out this year’s show string, training them for the past few months. The five to go to the State Fair received their baths Monday, and we took them to the Fair on Wednesday for Thursday’s show.

Our first lamb in the ring was Aries for the junior ram class (lambs born this year). I set him up, in line with the other competitors, for the judge to examine fleeces and conformation, before walking around the ring. When we stopped, the judge sorted through the bottom half of the class.

We were still in it, standing with the remaining six sheep.

The judge directed us to walk the sheep again (something that doesn’t always happen in a class) so he could evaluate further. Then, I knelt down next to Aries. My left hand holding the halter shook as the judge pulled out the fifth, fourth, third place rams. Then he pointed to me.

I had just won second place.

Second!

This second place qualified Aries for a spot in the Shetland ram Championship Drive (all rams regardless of age), and I was thrilled to just be there, to be in the drive, to have a top ram at the show. Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion went to other rams. But Jeff and I would have counted the success of second place and just being in the Champion drive as a huge accomplishment, as we have only had Shetlands for a few years.

We couldn’t pause as the ewe competition was starting. During our first junior ewe class, I showed Roisin while Jeff brought out Avila. I again found myself in the top six as the judge directed us to repeat our walk around the ring.

Then he placed sixth, fifth, fourth, third, second, and by the time he pointed at me, Roisin was the only sheep left.

I had just won first place.

First!

I walked her over to her place in the class, struggling to look serious and focused, even though I felt like beaming like the sun. The first place qualifies for a Championship Drive spot.

Jeff gave me a huge hug as soon as I left the ring. But we had to continue hustling, tying the lambs to a ringside pen and immediately taking our two youngest lambs in for the second junior ewe class. Repeat for the switch back to showing Avila and Roisin in the ewe pairs class.

And then, it was time for the Shetland ewe Championship Drive. I hurried in and set Roisin. I was in another Champion Drive! The judge looked the sheep over, then gave a short speech about the depth of the class and how much he appreciated the quality of the animals. I could hardly hear for the excitement I was feeling. As he talked, he looked up and down the row.

And then, he put down the microphone.

For years, I have watched this moment. In 4-H, I won a first and some seconds and watched the champion selection from inside the ring. As a farm journalist, I’ve reported on the 4-H Grand Champions from outside the ring. I’ve always watched.

There are judges who walk straight toward the winner, and there are others who really draw out the moment, striding toward a competitor, then reversing toward another animal, then turning again and choosing a different animal farther down the line.

The Shetland judge strode toward me. For a split second, I wondered if he was faking me out.

He extended his hand.

And for the first time, I received the judge’s handshake at the Indiana State Fair.

I had just won Grand Champion.

Grand Champion!

I could barely squeak, “Thank you for this!” as he walked to the Reserve Champion, and then the ring steward handed me the coveted purple banner. I almost levitated out of the ring. Jeff and Mom met me at the pens. I passed Mom the banner.

“I wish your grandpa was here,” she said.

“He is.” I grinned. “He is!”

This year marked 30 years since his Reserve Champion win. And I knew he saw me shake the judge’s hand and receive that purple banner.

One final class of the day remained: Best Fleece. Earlier in the day, before Roisin had gone into the ring for the first time, a passerby commented on her, saying, “She’s so…so fluffy and…and poofy!” Roisin went into the ring one more time for the Best Fleece class. The judge considered each ram or ewe’s wool, and then he pointed to me and shook my hand again. “Gotta be you.”

We ended the day with Best Fleece!

Second place ram, Grand Champion Ewe, Best Fleece.

2025 was a Grand Fair.

The night before the show, after we’d walked around the fairgrounds and had a practice session with the sheep, Jeff and I settled in for the night.

“Good night, Jeff, thank you for making this happen.”

“You just do your part and win tomorrow.”

And I did.

Thanks for Reading!

And welcome back to Sylvan Sundays! I hope you had a beautiful summer and now feel refreshed and rejuvenated for the week ahead.

If Sylvan Sundays was forwarded to you, welcome! To learn more about our farmers, check out “A New Year’s Introduction,” and to learn more about our name, visit “Being Sylvan.” Also, make sure to check out “This Week on the Farm” and “Farm Shop” below!

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This Week on the Farm

Today is the final day of the Indiana State Fair. It’s a day that has always felt to me the end of the year, as so many things we do on the farm lead up to the State Fair, from the fall breeding season the year before to lambing season and picking out the show string.

So this week, we decide on our breeding groups, looking at which ewes will be bred to which rams.

Our efforts will also focus on next spring’s Christmas tree seedlings. Preparing the ground and laying out the rows is easier now than when working in winter ice and mud.

Farm Shop

Share in Aries’ success at the Fair: he is available for your flock! His beautiful fleece and solid conformation will take your lambs to the next level. Reply to this email or shoot us a DM on Facebook or Instagram for more information!