MANSFIELD — Kennedy Studer made her swan song of showing animals one to remember.
The Shelby FFA and Ganges Happy Hearts 4-H member won first place at this year’s Richland County Fair Showman of Showmen on Friday. It’s a prize she’s been building toward over a six-year career of showing animals.
“Soaking up my last year here and seeing everybody was just the icing on the cake,” the 18-year-old said.
This year the contestants were judged by showing seven different species. The contestants were Studer – hogs, Reece Cook – sheep, Jordan Tedrow – horses, Payton Stover – cattle, Cailey Fairchild – poultry, Megan Adkins – goats and Emma Blanton – rabbits.
Studer said while she usually favors pigs, this year lambs were her favoirte.
“I had a lamb that braced really well for me and didn’t move so it made my life a little bit easier,” Studer said.
Her least favorite animal for the day were the dairy goats, mentioning one would jump on her every time she tried to brace it.
One piece of advice she gives for people who want to follow in her steps is to remember where you started.
“That is something I live by, she said. “I am consistently running and wining with that.”
Studer began showing animals in a small chicken coop and now competes at national, state levels and jackpots.
“There is a lot of times that I see kids struggling and I will go out of my way to help them,” she said. “Don’t ever be afraid to ask questions. Everybody is learning and everybody is a family. Just always remember where you started.”
While this is her last year showing animals, her passion for them will continue throughout her life. She will be attending Lakeland Community College this fall to pursue a degree in animal science.
“I wanna thank my dad and my mom, Jeff and Dianna Studer, for always supporting and showing up for me,” she said. “It means the world to me.”
Ask questions, laugh off mistakes, and keep showing.
Cailey Fairchild, who took home second place, said showmanship relies on being a good person, good showman and not being selfish.
Fairchild has a group of kids that she helps train with poultry. She said she is always willing to help when asked and if the person you ask doesn’t want to answer, that is not a real showmen.
“All of us were back there talking before we got into each other’s species answering questions and helping,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if what we say may help our competition win.”
When asked what her advice would be for anyone younger or new to showing animals she said to not be afraid to look stupid and ask questions.
“Who cares what you look like?” she said. “If you fall on your face, act like you meant to do it.”
Fairchild is a member of Bibs, Boots 4-H and Shelby FFA, showing market hogs, exhibition poultry, broilers and turkeys.
Her favorite animal to show this year outside of her personal species were the cattle and sheep, with her least favorite being the rabbits.
“There was hair everywhere,” Fairchild said. “And my rabbit didn’t want to stay flipped.”
She will be going to Wilmington College this fall, to study agricultural business.
(Pictures from the Richland County Jr. Fair Showman of Showmen contest. Picture credit: Hannah Martin)
