Hard work pays off in lamb competition
DUNBAR TWP. – Ryan Witt won the title of grand champion market lamb and John Springer Jr. earned reserve grand champion in 4-H competition Monday afternoon at the Fayette County Fair’s Indoor Arena. This is fourth time that Witt, 19, of Champion took the grand champion market lamb title. He also had a reserve grand champion title last year. He won this year’s title with a lamb that also took the champion heavyweight division.
His secret?
“I work hard at it,” said Witt with a smile.
Witt is a son of Don and Eileen Witt and a sophomore at Westmoreland County Community College, majoring in multimedia.
It’s also Witt’s last year in 4-H.
“It seems like it went pretty quick,” he said. “It’s sad to see it end.”
Meanwhile, this is Springer’s first title.
“I love it,” said Springer, 13-year-old son of John and Stephanie Springer of Vanderbilt.
Springer, who is an eighth-grade student at A.J. McMullen, said there’s no secret to his success. His lamb also won the reserve grand champion heavyweight title.
“You put in a lot of work,” said Stephanie Springer.
Asked what he likes about lambs, Springer said, “They’re easy to train and really smart.”
Market lamb is Witt’s only 4-H project while Springer also has steer, goat and pig 4-H projects.
The market lamb competition, judged by Bob Hare of Winchester, Ohio, is divided into classes by weight. Ashley Pritts won champion lightweight while Ronald Johnson won reserve champion lightweight. Tiffany Johnson took the title of champion middleweight, while Trent Mowry was reserve champion middleweight. Titles also were decided for country-bred lambs – animals that were born in Fayette County. Kelsey May won country-bred champion and Adam Butler won reserve country-bred champion.
Results also were announced for carcass competition on rail: Ethan Knopsnider, lightweight champion; Dalton Kobaly, reserve lightweight champion; Anthony Shaffer, middleweight champion; Ashley Leventry, reserve middleweight champion; Adam Butler, grand and heavyweight champion; Levi Butler, reserve grand and reserve heavyweight champion.
Scott Gardner won an award for rate of gain. 4-H breeding lamb results included Adam Butler, champion ram and reserve champion ewe; Levi Butler, reserve champion ram; and Ryan Witt, champion ewe.