Burleigh County 4-H Achievement Days | Video

Kristin Clouston | 7/13/2012

It`s always nice to receive recognition for your hard work. This week, Burleigh County 4-H members are showing off their latest projects and some of them will be walking away as grand champions.

After months of hard work and preparation, 4-H members from all over the county are getting their moment in the ring.

Kaitlyn Peterson has been showing sheep for about five years.

"I think I showed off my lamb a little better than I did in the past years because I`ve always been holding on too tight to the neck and now I need to show off the animal a little more."

She`s also learned to keep eye contact with the judge while showing her animals, it shows confidence.

"They`re judged on showmanship. They`re judged on the knowledge they have of care of the animal so proper care, proper nutrition, what they need to do to ensure the animal makes the weight its supposed to be at and what they need to do to just keep that animal safe and healthy," said NDSU Extension Agent KaSondra Staiger.

For the past couple months, Peterson has spent about two to three hours a day working with her lamb, Georgia.

"She`s a breeding so you want her to be fluffy, so she has more depth and width so you would keep her hair long. You can see the markets are sheared so you have to trim so there`s no stick up hairs."

She says getting animals ready to show is a lot of work, but it`s worth it.

"Getting a good ribbon and having that connection with animals and just having the proud feeling that you did it."

Peterson and Georgia are grand champions and will be advancing to the State Fair later this month.

Tomorrow, starting at 8:00 a.m., members will be showing their horses.

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