George Skare,14, of Stewartville, showed "Taz" named the grand champion fall yearling jersey at this years Olmsted County Fair.
Shanalyn Bird, 16, showed her horse. "Caught U Peekin," which was named grand champion in English Equitation and showmanship
JoJo Welter, 12, showed three pigs at this year's Olmsted County Fair and won a grand championship in Showmanship with one of her entries
Jack Yetter, 6, left, earned a blue ribbon with "puff," a jersey calf; an his brother Josh, 9, helped his grandmother with "Twinkle," another calf.
Minnesota State Fair 2008 Grand Champion Charolais Heifer shown by Jordyn Wellik, member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H club.
Brock Erickson, a member of the Racine Ramblers 4-H Club did well during the Mower County Fair. Brock is shown with his Champion White Face Market Lamb. With Brock is Eric Kinsley, judge.
Taylor Morgan of the Racine Ramblers 4-H Club did well during the Mower County Fair. Pictured is Taylor, with his Champion Mini Rex. Taylor also received Reserve Champion Rabbit Overall.
Carter Morgan, a Member of the Racine Ramblers 4-H Club did well during the Mower County Fair. Pictured is Carter Morgan with his Champion Robotics project.
Jon Dilworth, 15, a member of High Forest Chippewa Champion 4-H Club received Grand Champion at the Minnesota State Fair with his Hereford Heifer. He also won Grand Champion the following weekend in the FFA show held Sept. 5 and was presented in a special FFA presentation Sept. 6 with all the other Species Champion in FFA. Jon is from Goodhue and is a sophomore this year. He leased his heifer from Robby Roeder of Roeder Farms in Stewartville.
Linzie Schunke is pictured with her heavyweight crossbred steer that won the grand championship at the Minnesota State Fair. The animal won its own class and its division over 30 other animals, and was then sold at auction.
Stephanie Zylstra, with her Grand Champion ribbon at the Mnnesota State Fair. Stephanie received her ribbon with her large breed-checkered giant. She is a member of the Interstate Hi-Flyers 4-H Club.
Carolyn Zylstra, pictured with her Grand Champion ribbon at the Mnnesota State Fair. Carolyn's ribbon was awarded for her New Zealand rabbit. She is a member of the Interstate Hi-Flyers 4-H Club.
Kevin Welter, 15, of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, in the bottom photo, planned to show three pigs at the Olmsted County Fair and as many as 10 at the Minnesota State Fair later this summer. Prize-winning pigs are long and wide and sound off their feet, Kevin said. They take long strides rather than short and choppy steps, he said. Kevin is part of the Welter family that was recently named Olmsted County Farm Family of the Year.
Shanalyn Bird, 11, in middle photo, who will be a sixth-grader at Stewartville Middle School, put in a lot of time training Zanna, her paint horse, before this year's fair. If a horse is to do well in competition, it must learn how to pivot. Shanalyn has taught Zanna how to turn 360 degrees, 270 degrees, 180 degrees and 90 degrees. "I work with her a lot and I ride her and I work her hard," Shanalyn said. "She's a nice mare and she's friendly. I love her very much and everything about her."
AT THE FAIR --Many local and area youngsters showed animals at this year's Olmsted County Fair, including Alyson Hurley, 10, in top photo, who will be a fifth-grader at Central Intermediate School this fall. As a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club, she entered Charlotte, her mule, in the fair's horse show. Alyson loves Charlotte's easygoing personality. "She's just one animal that pretty much everyone gets along with," she said. "She's a perfect animal for someone learning to ride."
Jason Welter of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club, reserve champion senior showperson for swine.
Amelia Welter, of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, champion novice showperson for swine.
Amanda Welter of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, champion senior showperson for swine.
Amy Reinhardt of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, reserve white face market lamb.
Mary Hurley of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, champion speckle market lamb.
Emily Reinhardt of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, champion white face market lamb.
Stephanie Zylstra, at left, Interstate Hi-Flyers 4-H Club, reserve champion senior showman, grand champion pen of three, rabbits.
Jon Dilworth, High Forest Chippewa Champions, reserve champion junior showman for beef.
Linzie Schunke of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, reserve champion beef steer.
George Skare, 15, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club, showed "Meg," a summer junior yearling Holstein.
Jessica Skare, 13, of Stewartville, showed Rocky, a mule (half donkey, half horse) at this year's Olmsted County Fair. "I try to go out with him every day to walk with him," she said.
Abigayle Wilson, 14, who will be a freshman at Stewartville High School, showed a junior doe kid goat at this year's Olmsted County Fair. "You have to teach it to walk for you," she said.
Amy Reinhardt, above left, and her sister Emily work on shearing a market lamb to prepare the animal for show at the Olmsted County Fair on Tuesday, July 23. Amy Reinhardt said that she's a little emotional about the fact that her time showing animals at the fair is coming to an end. "I'm kind of sad," she said. "I've been in it since I was in kindergarten." In that time she has shown pigs, dogs and sheep. Emily, now finished as a participant, still helps her sister with her animals. The fair has always been a family affair for the Reinhardts. "We all do it together," she said.
Elizabeth Hurley, 11, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club, feeds her pig a pretzel at the Olmsted County Fair on Tuesday, July 23. Elizabeth, who will be a sixth grader at Stewartville Middle School this year, says that pigs that are walked frequently perform better at the fair because they grow accustomed to being guided and directed. Elizabeth said she enjoys working with her pigs.
Samantha Oehlke, 11, a member of the New Dimensions 4-H Club, stands with "Victoria," a Holstein yearling. Victoria won a blue ribbon at this year's fair. "I wasn't expecting that," Samantha said. "She gets a little stubborn every once in awhile."
Katie Miller of Stewartville earned a blue ribbon for her painting of three running horses.
POULTRY ROYALTY. The 2012-2013 Poultry Prince and Princess, August Otto of Delano and Eleni Solberg of Stewartville, took part in Fourth of July parades in their respective towns. Their reign will end when they crown the 2013-2014 Poultry Prince and Princess on Sunday, Aug. 25 in the sheep and poultry barn at the Minnesota State Fair.
Alex Parker of the Rock Dell Indians 4-H Club was the reserve champion for his pen of three rabbits. Oak Knob farms bid $150 for the rabbits at the Fair's Blue Ribbon Auction.
Andrea Parker of the Rock Dell Indians 4-H Club showed the reserve speckle market lamb. Southeast Mutual Insurance bid $300 for the animal at the Fair's Blue Ribbon Auction.
Amelia Welter, right, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club, was the champion senior showperson for swine. She was also named champion for her painting of an eagle.
Katie Miller earned a red ribbon for her bottle art project. She used wheat paste to attach paper to the bottles, then covered the paper with bright colors and attractive designs.
George Skare, 16, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club who will be a junior at Stewartville High School, showed "Chandra," a jersey fall calf, at this year's Olmsted County Fair.
Mary Oehlke, 14, showed "Annabelle," a summer junior yearling. "We come (to the Fair) to have fun," Mary said.
Abigayle Wilson, 15, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club, poses with Sussie, her grand champion dairy doe.
Grant Brass of the Burr Oak Beavers 4-H Club, a 2014 graduate of Stewartville High School, showed the reserve champion market heifer at last week's Olmsted County Fair.
Madalynn Johnson of the Rock Dell Indians 4-H Club was the reserve champion novice showperson for beef cattle. Seneca Foods bid $525 for Madalynn's animal at the County Fair's Blue Ribbon Auction last Thursday, July 24.
Alyson Hurley, 17, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, poses with her mule, MV Limited Edition.
Samantha Koenigs, in back, gives water to a pig as Elizabeth Hurley looks on at the Olmsted County Fair last week. The girls, who will be seventh graders at Stewartville Middle School this fall, were watching over the swine shown by George, Jessie and Teddy Skare.
The Racine Lions Club hosted its annual chicken feed near the Racine Community Center on Saturday, July 19. Joe Dee of the Racine Lions, left, displays several of the 578 chicken halves that were cooked for the event. Bill Hurley of Parties Made Simple, right, cooked the chicken. Proceeds from the event will pay for Lions Club projects, Dee said.
George Skare of the HIgh Forest Chippewa Champions, who will be a senior at Stewartville High School in about two weeks, showed Chandra, a fall yearling Jersey, at this year's Olmsted County Fair. Chandra was the grand champion Jersey at last year's County Fair and qualified for the Minnesota State Fair. Skare says he very much enjoys showing animals at the Fair. "It's so fun, especially when you get the ribbon you've been hoping for," he said. "There's no words to explain how that feels."
Shanalyn Bird, 19, celebrated her retirement from the Olmsted County Fair by winning the reserve championship in showmanship with her horse, Freckles. "He's just a good horse," Bird said. "We make a good team."
Samantha Koenigs, 13, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club, showed two market barrows and a market gilt at this year's Olmsted County Fair.
Mitch Osterhus of the Stewartville High School FFA sheared his sheep to get them ready for the Fair. "You shear 'em, fluff the legs to make the legs look bigger, and wash 'em," he said.
Jackson Yetter, 9, of the Rock Dell Indians 4-H Club, stands with Sierra., a 3-month-old junior Jersey, at the Olmsted County Fair. "I got first place," Jackson said. "I was the only one in my class."
Elizabeth Hurley of the High Forest Chippewa Champions showed the grand champion market heifer at this year's Olmsted County Fair. All-American Co-op, Progressive Ag bid $1,025 for the champion animal at this year's Blue Ribbon Auction.
Madalynn Johnson of the Rock Dell Indians 4-H Club showed the reserve champion market heifer. Suess Auction bid $500 for the animal.
Grant Brass of the Burr Oak Beavers 4-H Club, a 2014 graduate of Stewartville High School, was the champion senior showperson for beef. Lanesboro Sales Commission bid $875 for Brass's animal.
Shanalyn Bird of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club showed the champion market barrow, the reserve champion market barrow and the champion market gilt at the Olmsted County Fair. She displayed her awards at the 80th annual 4-H Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction on Thursday evening, July 30.
Ellen Sheehan, daughter of Jerome and Karen Sheehan of rural Rochester, was a runner-up at the annual Princess Kay of the Milky Way contest at the Minnesota State Fair. Sheehan and 11 other finalists had their likenesses carved in butter by sculptor Linda Christensen, who has carved the 12 finalists at each contest for 44 years. Sheehan is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, where she is studying agricultural education and is involved in Gopher Dairy Club, Ag Ed Club and the Beta of Clovia Sorority.
Taylor Howard and her horse, Benji, earned first-place trophies in horsemanship, Western Horsemanship and English Pleasure at the Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show.
Janae Bredesen of the Rock Dell Indians, left, showed two blackface lambs at this year's Olmsted County Fair. Andrea Parker, 16, also of the Rock Dell Indians, right, showed a Dorset yearling.
Jessica Skare, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club, showed Abril, a mule, at this year's Olmsted County Fair. Training Abril wasn't easy, she said. "It takes a lot of practice and a lot of work," she said.
Emma Thomason of Stewartville showed Rae, a brown Swiss cow, at this year's Olmsted County Fair. Rae, not yet 1 year old, won first place and a special merit award. "I think it's for fun," Emma said, speaking about why she shows animals.
Amelia Welter showed three pigs at this year's Olmsted County Fair. She says that whenever she shows pigs, she follows an established routine. "The biggest thing is to try to take them on walks around our farm," she said.
Jacob Twohey poses with his grade fall Holstein calf at the Olmsted County Fair last week. "This is my 10th year (showing at the fair)," he said. "I always look forward to this time."
Andrea Parker, a member of the Rock Dell Indians 4-H Club, brought seven breeding rabbits, including the one she's holding above, and a doe with her litter (a mother with her babies) to this year's Olmsted County Fair.
George Skare stands with "Comet," a Jersey fall yearling, at the Olmsted County Fair.
Taylor Howard has brought her horse, Benji, to the Olmsted County Fair for six years. "He's really calm," she said of Benji. "He's got a really good personality."
Mitch Osterhus, a 2017 graduate of Stewartville High School and a member of the SHS FFA, showed five sheep, including the black-faced market lamb above, and three hogs at this year's Olmsted County Fair.
Samantha Koenigs, 15, who will be a sophomore at Stewartville High School, has been a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club for about six years. Above, she poses with two of the pigs she showed at this year's Olmsted County Fair.
Kenny Skare, 11, who will be a sixth grader at Bear Cave Intermediate School, earned a blue ribbon and a special merit award with his jersey spring yearling at the Olmsted County Fair.
Mesa Wibben, 14, who will be a freshman at Stewartville High School, showed her goats, Bobby Joe and Bella, dry yearling doe Nigerian dwarves, at this year's Olmsted County Fair. The young goats, slightly more than a year old, were born on April 30, 2017.
Jessica Skare and her mule, MV Candy Apple, earned a red ribbon in the English Pleasure competition at the Olmsted County Fair. "She's a good mule," Skare said. "She listens really well. She has matured."
In a close battle, Stewartville Mayor Jimmie-John King placed third among three area mayors who competed to determine who could get the most milk from an imitation cow at the Olmsted County Fair's Dairy Birthing Center on Thursday, July 26. King earned a box of Milk Duds as a consolation prize. For more on the County Fair, see Page 6.
Brock Erickson, a member of the Stewartville High School FFA, shears a sheep to prepare the animal for showing at the Olmsted County Fair last week. Erickson, 17, who will be a senior at Stewartville High School, entered five sheep in the fair, including lambs in the black face, white face and speckled face divisions.
Mason Manion, 7, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, showed Khloe, an alpaca.
Emma Klingsporn, a member of the Burr Oak Beavers 4-H Club who will be a freshman at Stewartville High School, stands with "Doc," a 1-year-old Holstein she showed at this year's Olmsted County Fair. For Emma, the Fair is a combination of hard work and good times.
Mackenzie Rogers-Webb, 12, who will be a seventh grader at Stewartville Middle School, with Mable, a young goat.
Ted Skare, 14, who will be a freshman at Stewartville High School, with Rocky, a 27-year-old mule.
Conner Lohmann poses with his blue-ribbon paintings.
Hannah Meyerhofer, 9, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions, will be a fourth grader at Bear Cave Intermediate School. Above, she brushes one of the two pigs she entered in this year's Olmsted County Fair. She said she enjoys caring for pigs. "I like brushing them and being in the pen with them while they're lying down," she said.
Mesa Wibben, a member of the High Forest Chippewa Champions 4-H Club who will be a senior at Stewartville High School, showed four goats at this year's Olmsted County Fair. "I really love goats in general," she said. They're really cute animals. I show with a lot of great people." Above, she holds "Cinderella," a very young doe. "She's a doe too young to show," Mesa said.
Brody Erickson of the Stewartville FFA, who will be a senior at Stewartville High School, displays the sheep he showed at this year's Olmsted County Fair.
