Heller enjoys judging lamb lead classes
Tuesday evening Oct. 3, at the Coshocton County Fair lamb lead classes were held in the junior fair arena This event has gone on for many years. It is boys and girls showing their ability to lead and control their lambs as well as a fashion show of sorts wearing an outfit made primarily of wool. The first two classes of the youngest participants get a trophy. Everyone gets a ribbon and first through third are awarded.
Mary Lou Heller was judge for the event this year. “I guess this is my first year being a judge. We have a lot of entries this year so that is great. It fizzled out for a few years so I am glad it is coming back. It is so much fun. They are judged by how much wool they are wearing, how nice they look, their poise and how comfortable they are. We also judge control of their lamb. Some of them get crazy or get loose and then there are some that are just fine. That is part of it also. Most of the kids are in 4-H but they don’t have to be and they can borrow a sheep from someone. You don’t have to own one. The main thing is to dress in wool and lead a lamb. The competition starts with 3 to 5 year old boys and girls and we have different classes for different ages. This is called the wooly class. Their outfit has to be mostly wool but the sheep are not decorated.”
When Heller’s daughters were young, they borrowed their grandmothers complete wool outfit and they always had matching hats and gloves. My family has been doing this for years and it is fun. The girls have shown sheep for 25 years and Heller and her sister Nancy Porteus had also done this as adults for at least 40 years. “We just like to dress up and have fun,” said Heller, who has been a 4-H Advisor for 25 years.
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