Showing sheep for the first time

MOSES LAKE — Close to 100 sheep are calling the Grant County Fairgrounds their home for the week.

Tuesday marked the first day Kaitlyn Weber, 11, Moses Lake, showed her lamb, Bubba.

It is also her first year as a member of 4-H.

Weber said the club is fun and her favorite part is going to the fair.

Bubba, weighing in at 126 pounds, will be judged on his muscle, loins, feet and several other categories, she said.

"He likes to cuddle a lot and chew on things," Weber said.

He's already tried to chew on her hair, but it didn't hurt, she said, laughing.

Eventually Bubba will be sold, she said. The more ribbons and awards she obtains on his behalf, the more money she can get for selling him because she is a member of 4-H.

Before bringing Bubba to the fairgrounds, she had to shave and clean him.

His wool filled three garbage bags, Weber said. The wool might be used to make a blanket.

The sheep share traits with their owners.

"They're just like little kids," Sheep Barn Supervisor Lee Stevens said as a lamb attempted to take a bite out of him.

Stevens helps youth in the sheep barn get ready to show.

He said most youth showing sheep range in ages nine to 19. Lambs are as young as six months old when they are brought to the fair.

Before show time, youth in the sheep barn are busy cleaning hooves, trimming toenails, fluffy wool, cleaning noses and cleaning ears, Stevens said.

Once the sheep are brought to the barn, they are not allowed to be bathed. Instead they are cleaned with baby wipes and a squirt bottle. All major prepping must be done before they get to the barn, he said.

"They show themselves and the lamb," Stevens said. "They're showing everything the minute they walk into that arena."

In addition to the lambs being groomed, the participants must be groomed and properly dressed.

After a fair show, a 4-H member has the opportunity to sell their lamb.

Typically the youth are hoping for $3 per pound and usually receive $2.25 to $2.75 per pound. The lambs usually weigh 125 to 135 pounds.

A 4-H member can spend more than $100 on feed and additional expenses for blankets and tools, he said.

If done right, it should cost about $1 per pound to raise a lamb, Stevens said.

The lambs are brought in at an early age to ensure the best profit, he added.