Mason wins Showman of Showmen contest
COSHOCTON – Eleven youngsters from area 4-H clubs and FFA chapters vied for the honor of being named the “Showman of Showmen” at the Coshocton County Junior Fair on Wednesday evening, Oct. 3. The contest pits all Supreme Showmanship winners – unless they have won the title previously – in a three hour event in which they take turns showing beef feeder cattle, dairy cattle, swine, llamas, horses, turkeys, (representing poultry) small animals (in this case a Chinchilla), rabbits, sheep, goats and fielded questions about dogs. If someone has won the title previously and is a Supreme Showman in their respective species, then the Reserve Showman has the right to compete.
After it was all over with the participants, parents, family members and friends beating a path between Hunter Arena, the Junior Fair Barn and the Dairy Barn, Justin Mason, who is a junior, took home the title. Several of the youth have competed in past contests, including Mason.
Mason said, “I thought I was doing pretty well on all the bigger animals – the small animals I didn’t do so hot on and poultry I didn’t really know what I was talking about. All the other stuff I thought I was doing all right so I knew I had a chance.
“I went around and asked people that have shown the other species what they did and got some hands on help that way. I’ve shown pigs and beef before. Sheep are the most natural to me because I’ve been working with them since I was three.
“This is my second time in the contest and it was my final goal of the county fair to win this. I think I’ve got everything you can get out of the sheep barn.
“The toughest thing to show – pick any of the small animals – the Chinchilla was cute and fluffy but ready to go home like most of us.”
Mason had this advice for other competitors or those wanting to earn their way into the Showman of Showmen contest – “Take all of the years of experience and what you’ve learned, and what you’ve learned from the people you’ve been around all those years, put it all together and just have fun with it.”
Each of the competitors was given a wash bucket filled with goodies from Farm Credit Services and other prizes.
Competitors were; Justin Mason, sheep, J. D. Herron, horse, Shelby Cannon, goat, Kallie Rettos, swine, Belle Norman, cat / small animal, Hannah Nelson, rabbit, Abbey Kellish, beef, Sydney Zinkon, dairy, Emily Burrier, dog and Ty Collins, llama.
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