Sheep and owners strut their stuff at Northwest Montana Fair

Bighorn sheep draw flocks of visitors to Northwest Montana, but their domestic counterparts were the center of attention during the sheep showmanship competition at the Northwest Montana Fair on Tuesday morning.

Local 4-H and FFA members paraded their freshly shorn sheep around the Trade Center in hopes of being celebrated for the best-behaved lamb.

But the experts among them knew that the star sheep were only as good as their human handlers.

"He is super, super docile," said 18-year-old Bailey Lake in praise of her first-place sheep, Rip. "He will basically do anything I tell him. He's a great partner."

Rip — named for the character Rip Wheeler from the television series "Yellowstone" — couldn't take all the credit for the duo's top finish in the senior showmanship competition.

Lake also brought considerable experience to the fair.

She served as president of the Kalispell Future Farmers of America from 2020 to 2021. She said she also works with Rip every day and enters him in competitions across the state and the region.

"It all comes from working with them at home," Lake said.

That advice resonated with many of the younger competitors, like Annie Gross, a participant in the junior division. "You can tell who's practiced," Gross said.

"You have to look like you know what you're doing and know you're going to win," she added. "If your sheep gets out and you freak out and cry, you're docked points."

Gross was hopeful she wouldn't have those kinds of issues with her 7-month-old sheep Elvira, who wore a zebra-patterned blanket as the pair waited for their turn.

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Colton Kuka felt confident about his chances as he lined up next to his 144-pound sheep, Kyle.

Kuka and Kyle had practiced together for 97 days before the Northwest Montana Fair.

This is Kuka's first year in the sheep showmanship competition.

"He has a good frame and he's well-finished," Kuka said about Kyle.

As Kyle nibbled at Kuka's paper bib, Kuka said his only concern was making sure Kyle would hold still throughout the competition.

Brett Moriarty, the judge of the sheep showmanship, said there was a lot to be impressed with from this year's crop of competitors. Moriarty was especially excited about the performances by many of the younger participants.

"I think the future's bright," Moriarty said after the junior competitors displayed their animals.

4-H alums like Stephanie Covill give current students an idea about what that future might look like.

A Flathead Valley native, Covill grew up participating in local 4-H programs. She returned to the Trade Center this week and reminisced about the ways 4-H influenced her.

Covill said the most significant component of her 4-H days wasn't actually the animal handling or the social interaction, but a chance she got to report results to local papers such as the Hungry Horse News and the Whitefish Pilot.

That experience gave Covill an appreciation for the value of 4-H, on the farm and in many other fields.

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at 406-758-4459 or bserbin@dailyinterlake.com.