COSHOCTON COUNTY FAIR

Competitors follow family tradition at sheep show

Joe Williams
Reporter

COSHOCTON — Nine-year-old Marcus Wells, of Dresden, won the championship Tuesday in his first try at junior sheep fitting at the Coshocton County Fair.

His mother, Jeanette Wells, teared up some as she watched the announcement from the sidelines in the Junior Fair Arena.

"It's our first year, so I'm just being proud," she said. "He's worked very hard for this."

"I couldn't be happier," said his father, Marc Wells. "This is turning out to be an amazing day. He put 110 percent into it. It's going to be a long day."

The sheep Marcus worked with in the fitting competition was the last one left in the draw Tuesday, but he won the event anyway.

Marcus took a practical approach to the competition: "Curry a lot, brush and try my best," he said.

Clipping by hand proved tiring for the Dresden Elementary School third-grader, so he switched hands during the event.

Raising sheep runs in the family. His father and aunt both competed at fairs years ago with sheep raised on the family farm outside Dresden.

Marcus had more work ahead of him after his first win Tuesday. He was scheduled to show his lambs Bear and Fuzz in the market lamb competition and his ewe Bandit in sheep breeding.

His father competed through 4-H at the Coshocton County Fair when he was younger.

"That's what makes it so memorable, to come back and see the people you haven't seen for years and their kids are showing with your kids, " Marc Wells said.

Macey Mizer, 12, of Warsaw, won the championship in her division with her market lamb, Pocket. That was Macey's second win of the day.

Her brother, Dakota, 13, also won in his division for his unnamed market lamb.

Those wins made them eligible to compete in the Championship Drive later in the day.

Their little sister, Laney Mizer, 9, was poised to compete for her first time with her home-bred lamb, born and raised on Mizer Farms.

Sisters Jacklin and Katelin Morgan, of Coshocton, were scheduled to compete head-to-head in the same division of the market lamb competition.

Jacklin, 14, was showing her lamb, Diesel. Katelin, 13, was showing Jumpticklish.

"He likes to jump and he's ticklish when you touch his ribs," Katelin said, explaining his name.

Jacklin has the most experience of the two sisters. She won in showmanship two years ago, and this is her second year showing lambs.

This is Katelin's first year, and she said she has enjoyed the roughly one hour a day she spends on her project.

"You can teach them from the beginning," she said. "You can teach them how to walk and brace."

jwilliams6@gannett.com

740-295-3417

Twitter: @JoeTribune

Upcoming fair highlights

Wednesday

5 p.m.: Richard McCune, Rotary Pavilion

5:30 p.m.: Showman of Showmen Contest, Hunter Arena

5:45 p.m.: Antique Tractor Parade, from the Antique Tractor Building to the grandstand

7:30 p.m.: Rough Truck Contest, grandstand

Thursday

10:30 a.m.: Skidsteer Rodeo, Outdoor Arena

5:30 p.m.: Junior Fair Auction Sale of Champions, Hunter Arena

7 p.m.: Moto Cross, grandstand