Practice makes perfect.
Thursday was the Master Showman Contest and six 4-Hers made it to the finals. They rose to the challenge of learning to show a variety of livestock.
Dylan Duncan capped off his 10th year as a 4-H member by taking home the Master Showman title. After making it to the finals three previous times, he won the competition.
“I’m grateful that I finally was able to pull it off after my fourth time because it’s taken me a lot of work and practice and I finally was able to do it,” Duncan said.
Duncan usually works with pigs and sheep, but to take home Master Showman honors he had to learn to show goats, horses and cows.
“Learning how to show off horses, especially when you’re not used to certain breeds of animals, you have to learn not just how to show them but you have to learn about them as well,” Duncan said.
Duncan has worked for many years to bring home the trophy but says it’s not going to be the last time his family will be winning the Master Showman Contest.
“I’m happy that I got the trophy but I know that … my family that will bring home a lot more trophies here in the future,” Duncan said.
Finalist Josie Kelsay has two more years to improve her skills with the hope of being the next Master Showman.
“I’m just really happy that I made it this far and there’s so much to learn in the next two years that I have a chance to do this. It’s really a special privilege and anybody that gets this, just try your best and don’t give up,” Kelsay said.
Finalist Ainsley Botkin, a seven-year 4-H member, says it’s an honor to achieve such a big goal.
“It’s definitely a big honor and something everyone should be proud of and even if you don’t do your best in it, you made it and just keep trying,” Botkin said.
To prepare for the contest, Kelsay spent most of her days working with dairy cows and goats. During the contest, horses posed the hardest challenge.
“Probably horses because they’re calm and you have to keep them calm and I’m used to being aggressive and taking charge,” Kelsay said.
Botkin, who usually shows sheep, was most challenged with learning to lead pigs around the ring. With pigs, showmen have to stay in a position while keeping the pig between the judge and them.
“Definitely the pigs because you have to keep down to eye level, so just staying down at eye level is really difficult,” Botkin said.
Finalists for the Master Showman are announced the night before the contest. Those who make it to the competition move their schedule around to prepare for the contest in the evening.
“I set up my calendar and from seven in the morning until noon I’m gonna work with different animals each hour. I also worked on a couple the night before until midnight or one in the morning,” Kelsay said. “Just trying to make sure that I know what I’m doing for each breed and each animal and not messing up.”
Botkin said it is important to work hard every day and feel enough comfortable to ask for help because that’s the best way to improve as a showman.
“Definitely have confidence in yourself, confidence is key and if you don’t have confidence in yourself, you’re just gonna struggle a lot because you’ll have people telling you and doubting you,” Botkin said. “You just gotta have to push those people away and believe in yourself which will make you go farther in life than ever.”
