Lined up along the fence, several lambs waited for their next event on July 30 at the Scotts Bluff County Fairgrounds in Mitchell.
Among the lambs was Eddison Urwiller’s, who had taken Grand Champion in the light-weight market division. “She has a pink halter since I have three total, and they’re all the same color. They’re not the same size, and one is long, but they’re all white.”
Urwiller had worked hard with her sheep before the fair. “I’ve done sheep my whole life, they’re fun, and seeing my sheep in the ring and my hard work paying off, I like to win. The hardest part is in the ring, but the judge liked the (sheep’s) legs and back.”
When Urwiller and the other 4-H or FFA youth were in the shows this week, they had help from the Scotts Bluff County Fair superintendents. The 25 superintendents are volunteers who help out at the various shows, from horses to poultry, along with 10 outside volunteers. The volunteers are vital to the shows, keeping traffic moving and assisting the 4-H or FFA youth in and out of the ring. Cherry Felkins was a volunteer assisting Superintendent Becky Ulrich at the Rabbit Show on July 31.
Like many volunteers at county fairs, Felkins got involved after her daughter Arika wanted to be in 4-H and take rabbits to the fair. “It was her choice to do rabbits. She started raising them and then showing them.” After the first year, Felkins became more involved with her daughter’s projects and with the other youth in the Scotts Bluff County Fur and Feathers 4-H Club. “I like teaching children about animals, how to handle them. A rabbit’s back is very fragile, so you have to be careful with them.” She also taught the youth the different parts of the rabbit, how to trim the toenails, and check for mites. “For kids, it can be a challenge to learn to flip their rabbit onto its back and hold them correctly.” The 4-H youth must attend three practice sessions throughout the summer to prepare for the fair and judging. Felkins helped the 4-Her’s mic up for the part of the show where they gave a speech about their rabbits to the judge.
Felkins’s daughter Arika has aged out of 4-H, but her younger daughter Raelynn is still taking rabbits. She began as a volunteer to learn, help her daughter, and the other 4-Hers, but another reason was, “The rabbit community is extremely friendly and helpful, I like being part of it.”
