J.C. Worsham prepares to show sheep at County Fairs
The training begins as J.C. leads one of his sheep by the head. The sheep should walk freely at his direction by fair time.
ROYAL CITY - Like 40 other 4-H members on the Royal Slope, J.C. Worsham is getting ready to show animals at the Grant County and Adams County Fairs.
This will be Worsham's third time showing. He will take his sheep named Rodeo and Root Beer. First he has to get them ready.
That wasn't a done deal as of July 1. Root Beer and Rodeo still liked to play catch-me-if-you-can when Worsham showed up at their pen. In a way, that's fitting.
"I started showing sheep because I thought it would be fun," Worsham said
The sheep will be under control by fair time, Worsham said. They just need to get used to him.
The sheep were born not long ago, and they are still on the wild side. Worsham made the purchase on May 24.
"They don't like to be washed," he said.
Worsham will slick shear the sheep and wash them before it's time to show. By then, they'll be weighing 120-140 pounds.
Showing animals at the fair is the major project of the year for nearly every 4-H member. Last year, 41 youngsters from Royal showed animals.
That means 41 youngsters added to their college funds. In addition to showing their animals, they sell them at auction at the fair.
Worsham got $13 a pound for one of his sheep at the Grant County Fair. He got $14 per pound for the other at the Adams County Fair.
After deducting expenses ($175 each for purchase, $150 feed), Worsham added about $1,500 to his college fund.
Worsham is thankful for the people who buy the animals. He noted they attend the fair just to support 4-H and FFA animal owners.
Worsham's mother, Shelli, noted the Royal Livestock Boosters, a rather large farm-friendly organization on the slope, was formed for the purpose of making sure every animal is purchased.
Royal Livestock Boosters supports members of the Liberty Livestock 4-H (Worsham's group), Happy Trails 4-H and Royal Ranchers 4-H.
Worsham's first showing is about a month away. He will move to the Grant County Fairgrounds with his sheep on Monday, Aug. 17 and camp out for the week. He hopes sometime that week he'll be awarded a ribbon, but what he's really looking for is another good sale.
The best Worsham has done, in terms of showing, came his first year. He got a callback for fit and show.
From Sept. 16-19, most of the same youngsters will carry out the same activities at the Adams County Fair. The majority will show pigs, some will show steers and a handful will show sheep. Worsham is expecting larger numbers this year.
Worsham, 13, is an eighth-grader at Royal Middle School. He's athletic, playing football, basketball and baseball. He's playing first base for a Moses Lake Babe Ruth team during summer.
In football, Worsham has been playing center and defensive end. He's hoping he grows into something more glamorous in high School - tight end maybe. He's good-sized for his age at 5-8, 150.
Like other youngsters, Worsham can be funny. His favorite subject in school is history, "unless lunch is an option." He likes the longish recess time that comes with it.
Animal showing runs in Worsham's family. His uncle Mike Stevenson showed in the 1990s. His aunt Stacy Lancaster also showed. It looked like fun, he said.
The real fun is the camp?out. Worsham estimates more than 100 youngsters from the county's outlying areas make up the camp. Their mothers set up a kitchen and dining area and make sure everyone is well fed.
"We get a better breakfast than at home - ham, bacon, sausage," Worsham said.
Worsham starts working with his sheep at 8 a.m. He feeds them and gives them fresh water. Then he works with then physically to get them used to his lead and teach them the proper showing stance.