Lebanon — Eight 4-Hers and eight animal species participated in the Supreme Showmanship Contest Wednesday evening in the Witham Pavilion, and the 4-Her deemed the best at handling menagerie was Laura Beth Padgett.
When her name was called, Padgett appeared torn between laughing and crying, and in the end just dissolved into giggles when she realized she didn’t have the strength to hold up the massive trophy she’d just won.
Padgett and the seven other Master Showmen from the 2008 Boone County 4-H Fair were exhausted after the four-hour competition that tested their skill and knowledge in the show ring. The eight were pitted against each other for the title of Supreme Showmanship, but Padgett said they faced the challenges more like a family than like foes.
She said she’d heard about master showmen helping each other out during the competition in past years, too. But she said the 2008 contingent also managed to joke and laugh between rounds.
“It was hard,” said Padgett, between pictures and hugs, minutes after being named 2008 Supreme Showmanship winner. “But it was great. All of the showmen worked so hard together. We were like a family; we all were.”
Contestants included Padgett, a 9-year 4-H member; Amanda Reehling, 10-year member; Ellen Carrell, 10-year member; Kayla Hieston, 9-year member; Jordon Musselman, 9-year member; Jody Garst, 9-year member; Courtney Scott, 8-year member, and Austin Chandler, 8-year member.
The show is in its 25th year and was expanded this year to include llamas for the first time ever, as well as both dairy and meat goats. Fair board president Jim Hundley said the new facility made the show additional animals — and 4-Hers — possible.
All eight of the contestants earned the spot in the Supreme Showmanship competition by winning Master Showmanship titles earlier in the week. On Wednesday, the rounds went by species — swine first, beef second, then diary goats, horses, sheep, dairy cattle, meat goats and, finally llamas, with the 4-Hers all showing the same species each time. Each round was judged by an expert in that species, and none of the 4-Hers showed his or her own animal. The animals themselves were not judged.
The 4-Hers were given marks based on how safely they handled the animals, how they presented the animals, their own poise, their knowledge of each of the species and sportsmanship.
Monica Wilhoite, 2005 Supreme Showmanship winner, served as mistress of ceremonies for the event.
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