Amateurs in The Big Leagues.

The Showman, back seat of Blondie with Evelyn and Eleanor in the back of the truck, Children's Hospital at the I-71/ I-70 interchange in the backgroud. Coun'ry pepple in The Big City.

 For the readers of Cowfeathers Farm that made it through the posts about the County Fair, you will know a lot about me when I tell you that yesterday we moved into the Ohio State Fair. You will know that although my first childbirth experience was just shy of horrific, I went and did it again, and no, that one wasn't peachy either. You will know that when I fall off a horse at high speed and manage to re-attain vertical, I chase the crazy thing down, and get right back up there, and have been doing so for 35 years. You know that there is a part of me that believes life should encompass a bit of torture.  Thus, the Ohio State Fair. Now, there are few places on this big ball of earth that take their agriculture as seriously as Ohio. Let's see. Football, the red vs. green debate, eating. These things are serious business in OH- IO. The red v.green is International Harvester Tractors vs. John Deere Tractors, and yes, you must be in a camp, and no, you can't joke about it.
On the other hand, here at Cowfeathers, we are nothing, if not amateurs. We have neither a Deere nor an IH. I have never been to a Buckeye game, and eating? Well, I still do so, but not with standard Ohio flair.
Amateurs are a rare species at the Ohio State Fair.

Amateurs pulling up to the sheep complex at "State Fair".

 We left the cornfields behind for The Big City, foregoing hauling the big trailer by putting the sheep in my Mom's enormous dog crate, tied into the bed of Blondie. Tack trunk, straw, hay, manure equipment, fan, sign, cooler, feed, paperwork and hope. We followed the directions sent in our entry packet to Gate 10. After that- good luck. We don't know where the sheep barn might be, neither do the people punching our tickets, and frankly, if you don't know, why're ya here?  Kind of a theme. I rolled down the windows and listened for "baaah"ing.

The girls in their new digs.

 Middlest and I wandered around the huge building looking for an office of some sort. Inquiries finally directed us to an unmarked door, no windows, huge puddle outside. This is where we check in? So I asked for our pen assignment. The answer? "Where do you usually set up?" Uh-oh. Really not much allowance for newbies. I explained we had no previous experience at State Fair, other than coming up for an afternoon once a few years ago with my sister and the kids. I got a few astounded blinks, the gal turned and looked at the lady in the desk behind and said "What do I do?" This was the start of a long line of very nice people who tried to ease us from ignorance. I sure hope it's working. I think we've done just about everything wrong so far, good thing we're getting all these mistakes out of the way all in our first year. We did get the girls in, and got checked in, sort of. Time for a little break to see the Butter Cow.

The Butter Cow and Calf were accompanied by a Butter Space Shuttle interior, this year. Butter Cows in Space. Really. Makes the torture a little more worth it.

Shortly after this was taken of the winner of the senior division of the Sheep Shearing Contest, this man came over to Middlest's sheep pen and bought her sheep. We had barely moved in, and they are going to a new home. WHOOP!

Middlest in the Showmanship contest.

 The big event for us the first day was the Junior Fair Sheep Showmanship Contest. Middlest is becoming quite a showman, and her lambs are so tame they are fun to show. But, we amateurs did little to "fit" the ewe out. I had found no information on how to prepare a Border Leicester for show, so decided to add that to the huge learning curve of this fair, and just see what others had done. Fortunately for Middlest, some very kind Border Leicester folks, the Fogles, watched her do showmanship and offered her wonderful advice! So, last night, we worked on the ewes and got them more prepared for the show. More, not totally. See, we don't show at North American International, or Maryland Sheep and Wool, or Michigan Wool, or The Big E, or New York's Wool Show, or any of the other places all these nice helpful folks go each year. We show at the Pickaway County Fair. Small potatoes, kind of like the potato flakes of wool sheep shows. "State Fair" is more like a giant baked potato, with the works, deep fat fried and put on a stick.

The Junior Showmanship class. Middlest in the middle, with the only wool sheep wearing full wool, which is indeed how her breed should be shown. But, we still have lots of room for improvement! She is showing in the down position, as in wool showmanship, she is trying to show the ewe to it's best advantage, which means she makes herself less obtrusive, keeps the ewe's head high and legs square.

Morning. Early, this morning. Our newly fitted ewes take a stroll towards the show arena. No straw on them, and their wool all primped.

Eleanor, posing for pictures with Middlest.

Evelyn. This is the same ewe as in the showmanship photos above. If you are observant you will see the difference the fitting made in her body shape appearance.

The Junior Show , All Other White Wool Breeds, Yearling Ewe class.  Middlest placed third with Eleanor. Her friend showing Evelyn placed fifth. The winner of the class was the sheep to the far right in the photo. The one without any wool. It is a Dorper. No wool. How do you win a wool class when you're bald? We have learned a TON and we are less ignorant, but there are still things I do NOT understand.

So, Middlest took third best Yearling Ewe of All Other White Wool breeds. Pretty decent for Amateurs. Still, haven't been to a Buckeye game. And, not ever gonna play in the big leagues of Ohio eating.......