Janie Schutz wins grand master showman
Waterport 4-H’er claims one of fair’s most prestigious titles
Photos by Tom Rivers – Janie Schutz poses with a steer after she won the grand master showman crown on Friday at the Orleans County 4-H Fair.
Jenny McKenna leads the showmen in the ring Friday with goats. Jenny took the grand master reserve title.
KNOWLESVILLE – The new grand master showman of the Orleans County 4-H Fair is a veteran in the show ring.
Janie Schutz, 17, of Waterport has showing animals at the fair since she was 8. She has experience with horses, beef cattle, pigs, meat goats and lambs.
On Friday she used her knowledge of all those animals, plus a steady composure, to win one of the fair’s most prestigious titles.
Janie is busy at the fair and for weeks and months leading up to annual event, tending to the animals and practicing with them. She has enjoyed working with different livestock mainly because it expanded her connections with so many 4-H’ers.
“You get more friends that way,” she said. “You meet more people.”
The grand master showman contest took the top showman from each of the larger animals, and pitted them all together, requiring the nine master showman to show all nine animals. (There were eight master showman in the competition because Jayne Bannister won two titles: swine and beef.)
Judge Steve Ledoux told the crowd he was impressed by the master showmen – all girls.
“They stepped out of their comfort zones,” he said. “They deserve a lot of credit for guts and determination.”
Schutz qualified by winning the sheep showman title. Other master showman include Bailey Flint, llama; Elise Slayton, Horses – English; Mandy Armer, dairy goat; Megan Blackburn, meat goat; Jayne Bannister, beef and swine; Jenny McKenna, dairy; and Haley Watkins, Horse – Western.
The master showmen ham it up for the cameras Friday after the competition to determine the grand master showman. Each person qualified for Friday’s event by winning the master showman for an animal. The group includes, from left: Bailey Flint, llama; Elise Slayton, Horses – English; Mandy Armer, dairy goat; Megan Blackburn, meat goat; Janie Schutz, sheep; Jayne Bannister, beef and swine; Jenny McKenna, dairy; and Haley Watkins, Horse – Western.
McKenna was the grand master showman reserve champion.
Schutz has one more year to show animals at the fair. She is planning to major in sociology in college with the goal to become a school guidance counselor.
“I still want to own my own farm at home,” she said.
The small animal grand master showman competition begins at noon today at the Wachob Pavilion.
Elise Slayton competes in the grand master showman competition on Friday, an event that took the top showman from nine animals. Elise qualified after winning the English horse showmanship title.
