Staff photo by Gage Cureton Mikayla Opatz poses for a portrait with her champion market lamb “Dill” after securing the champion title for the 2019 Market Lamb Show during the FFA and 4-H open class sheep show Thursday at the Brown County Free Fair. Opatz also won the pen of three title and the reserve champion spot in the 2019 Ewe Lamb Show.

NEW ULM — While it may be like herding cattle, bovine wasn’t the featured livestock at one of the Brown County Free Fair’s animal shows Thursday.

The FFA and 4-H open class sheep show had contestants showing ewe and market lambs before the watchful eye of a judge as they contested their sheep for champion titles.

Mikayla Opatz took the champion market lamb title for her lamb “Dill.” In addition to the champion market title, Opatz secured the reserve champion ewe title in the 2019 Ewe Lamb Show.

After countless hours of morning and night feedings, leading the lamb for exercise and meticulous hygiene, Opatz said the hard work pays off.

“It’s really rewarding,” Opatz said. “Especially after all the time and work you put into the sheep. It’s worth it in the end.”

Opatz also obtained the pen of three champion title and the reserve champion title for senior showmanship for completed school grades nine and up.

In the 2019 Ewe Lamb Show, Tyson Meidl secured the champion ewe title for his ewe “Raven.”

Meidl, a 15-year veteran of sheep shows with champion titles for market lambs and ewes, said this year is his last show.

In the junior showmanship class, Keira Schipper took champion and Greyson Tomaszewski secured reserve champion.

The intermediate award went to Andrew Hellendrung with Paige Green as champion reserve.

Russell Hellendrung took champion in the senior showmanship class.

Judge Jeremy Geske said choices were difficult for all showmanship classes, but in the end the champions are “just a bit quicker setting up and controlling their sheep.”

A 4-H and FFA open dairy cattle show throws down at 9 a.m. Friday at the outdoor arena at the Brown County Fair Grounds.

Gage Cureton can be emailed at gcureton@nujournal.com.