Cousins take top prize in 4-H market goat show
Emylin Shearer, 3, of South Connellsville, makes certain her goat is standing steady for judging in the pee wee class competition Tuesday morning at the Fayette County Fair.
Zachary Diamond (left), and his cousin Jacob Diamond wait for the showmanship competition to begin Tuesday morning. Zachary won reserve champion in the middle-weight class with his goat while Jacob took top honors in the heavy-weight class.
Staci Kmetz, 9, keeps her goat from knibbling on her backside during showmanship judging of 4-H Market Breeding Goats at the Fayette County Fair.
DUNBAR TWP. — Cousins took top prizes in the 4-H market goat competition Tuesday at the Fayette County Fair.
Jacob Diamond of Smithfield won grand champion and Zachary Diamond of Masontown earned reserve grand champion in the competition at the Show Arena.
“If I didn’t win, I hoped he’d win,” said Jacob Diamond, an 18-year-old son of Chris and Linda Diamond who is a sophomore at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
His animal was also the champion heavyweight goat.
Zachary Diamond, 9, is a son of David and Jennifer Diamond and a fourth-grade student at Masontown Elementary School. His animal also won champion middleweight goat.
“I feel really great,” he said of the honor.
Results included Brooke Gales, champion lightweight; Sierra Emert, reserve champion lightweight; Scott Gardner, reserve champion middleweight; and Jaden Bushmire, reserve champion heavyweight.
Meanwhile, judging took place throughout the fairgrounds Tuesday.
Dairy cattle: Danielle Angelo, fair board member and exhibitor, reported, “Our barns are full. We have about 170 entries. We had to build an addition onto one of the dairy barns. Everybody’s having kids and the kids are showing so there’s a resurgence.”
The fair recognized club leader Joy Davis during a show that is seeing red and white Holsteins grow in popularity.
Poultry: Steve Stanish, co-chairman, released competition results: Jack Tickle of Saltsburg, champion duck, Rouen old drake; champion goose Emden old gander; reserve champion goose, Sebastopol white old goose; reserve champion large fowl, Black Langshan cock and reserve champion bantam, light brown leghorn pullet; Liesa Stiller of Carmichaels, reserve champion duck, Pekin young drake; Krista Martin of Daisytown, champion turkey, Royal Palm; Toni DeCarlo of New Salem, champion rabbi, Flemish giant, gray senior buck; Mia McDowell, reserve champion rabbit, Black Rex, junior doe; Steve Stanish of Lemont Furnace, champion large fowl, barred Plymouth rock hen, champion bantam, barred Plymouth rock cock.
Horticulture: Frances Rosensteel, co-chairwoman, said a large amount of rain during planting season meant entries were down this year but quality remained high.
“The exhibitors understand that good quality wins ribbons,” she said.
The entries included a significant number of apples, peaches and eggs.
Youth Building: Fairgoers can see the best in sewing, crafts and baked goods entries at the Youth Building.
Cathy Brady, 4-H extension educator, said entries are down but is already looking toward next year as clubs rebuild and new clubs — including robotics and family fitness — will be launched at the Carnegie Free Public Library.