Local boy wins goat competition
Nicholas Habina of Dickerson Run won the title of 4-H grand champion market goat at Tuesday’s competition at the Fayette County Fair. Habina, the10-year-old son of Lisa Habina, smiled about his title: “It was good.’
A fifth-grade student at St. John School in Scottdale, Habina is following in the footsteps of his older brother, Michael, who won grand champion market goat in 1999.
Habina had a feeling he might win because, he said, his goat “always listens to me and he was nice.’
This is Habina’s second year in 4-H and his first trophy. He is also involved in 4-H rifle and archery clubs.
Maria Sholtis of Uniontown won reserve grand champion market goat. The daughter of Andy and Donna Sholtis is a junior at Uniontown Area High School.
“I was surprised because this is my first year showing market goats,’ said Sholtis. “It was a pleasant surprise. I had dairy goats in the past and began raising meat goats a few years ago. So I decided to give it a try.’
Sholtis also won the titles of reserve grand champion ram and ewe at the 4-H breeding sheep show earlier in the fair.
Other results of the market goat show were: Jocelyn Rittenhouse, champion lightweight; Kalie Minick of Scottdale, reserve champion lightweight; Maria Sholtis, champion lightweight and reserve champion heavyweight; Chelsey Kreinbrook, reserve champion middleweight; Nicholas Habina, champion heavyweight. Kalie Minick was also named showmanship champion while Larry Ansell of Scottdale was named reserve champion showman.
Official Shirley Christner explained there were 33 animals in the market show. Another six animals did not make weight but were permitted to be used in the showmanship competition. The county has two goat clubs: 4 Hooves and a Heartbeat, and the 4-H Market Goat Club.
Judge Kerry Davidson of Whiteland, Indiana, commented, “It was a neat show. They were all good quality animals. A lot of times you see a drastic difference from top to bottom. It was all good quality, all through.
Meanwhile, in poultry competition, Steve Stanish of Lemont Furnace earned the title grand champion of the show with his Barred Plymouth Rock bantam, a cock, which was also named champion bantam.
“It’s pretty good. I like it,’ Stanish said of the win. “I work hard with these birds. It’s my hobby and I appreciate the recognition.’
Reserve grand champion was a Rouen duck owned by Harvey Noel of Trafford. Noel also won champion duck with his Rouen young duck, reserve champion duck with his Rouen young drake, reserve champion goose with his American buff, young goose; and reserve champion standard with his Black Langshan pullet.
Other local winners included Ed Stanish Sr. of Lemont Furnace, reserve champion turkey with a Bourbon Red Old Tom; Jack Cooper of Lemont Furnace won champion standard with a Blue Red Old English hen; and Larry Daugherty of Point Marion won reserve champion rabbit with a California junior buck.
Steve Stanish, who is co-chair of the poultry department, explained that health regulations require the birds to be blood-tested for 60 days up to 10 days before the show. This has led to fewer people participating in the fair’s poultry show. Stanish estimated there were 500 this year as opposed to 2,000 in previous years. Poultry were not at the fair, however, at all last year – although rabbits were permitted – as the state put a ban on such exhibitions due to an outbreak of avian flu out East.
Dairy cattle competition took place all day in the Indoor Arena.
Rick Allen of Smock, co-chairman of the dairy department, reported there were 182 entries in the combined 4-H and open class shows that included Holstein, Ayshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Jersey, Milking Shorthorn and Red & White breeds.
“We have probably 65 Holsteins. That’s usually what we’re getting,’ said Allen. “Ever since the Southwest show, the regular show has been down about 35 head.’
The Southwest Pennsylvania Regional Holstein Championship show was held at the fair Saturday, one of seven regional shows throughout the state. Allen said it’s difficult for participants to keep their cattle at their fair for 10 days so participation in the fair’s dairy show is affected. But the Southwest show had good results.
“We had 128 at the Southwest show and they came from as far away as the Poconos. We had real good quality. The cow that won was Reserve All-American champion at the International Holstein Show in Madison, Wisconsin. She’s right back at it. So we had cows of All-American quality in Fayette County,’ said Allen.
Judging of 4-H entries also took place Tuesday in the Youth Building.
County agent Cathy Brady noted that entries in family living competition in the building were up. She pointed out the displays by the new Cloverbuds clubs, a non-competitive pre-4-H program. She said the Homeschoolers club produced a lot of wood entries while the Sunshine Bunch had holiday panels, rugs, clothing, gel candles and crafts made from recycled materials.
Overall, clothing entries were down this year but Brady hopes to see them climb next year, noting the start of a new sewing camp for youths and leaders that was held this summer that she hopes becomes an annual event.
“The kids really learned the skills. My goal is to see skills stressed,’ said Brady.
Also down this year are club displays and baking entries. But Brady also has hopes for more entries next year. She’s also looking at new clubs as three people have signed up to do clubs in the Uniontown area. 4-H is always looking for leaders. For more information, stop at the Youth Building during fair week or call the Penn State Cooperative Extension Office at 724-438-0111.
Judges for family living competition were Cindy Arblaster, 4-H youth development agent, and Nancy Wallace, family living agent, both from Westmoreland County.
County agent Bill Gallagher said of the 4-H horticulture exhibits, “We have more of the flowers this year due to the weather. We still have a nice group of vegetables but not as much as last year.’
Officials at the competition included local volunteers Louise Brothers and James Grubbs.
In the grange building, Frances Rosensteel, co-chairwoman of the horticultural department, reported, “Exhibits are down from last year because of all the rain and weather conditions. People couldn’t get their gardens in.’
The weather affected not only gardens but also berries, which were affected by a late frost.
Rosensteel said all entries are down, but it’s more noticeable in categories, such as vegetables. For instance, she said, “We only had two entries of red tomatoes.’