WEST ALLIS - Nearly 60 youth from Lafayette County participated in the 2009 Wisconsin State Fair on Aug. 6-16. Lafayette County had participants in the Clothing Delegation, Dairy Show, Beef Show, Swine Show, Sheep Show and the Youth Exhibit areas.

Participants in the youth exhibit area included: Kayla Doan, Sara Doan, Katelyn Schobert, Jordin Wedig, Holly Voigts, and Brandi Voigts of Belmont; Cora Carpenter, Darby Fitzsimons, Jenna Hole, Ashley Martin, Chelsea Fortin, Tasha Kelly and Robert Martin of Darlington; Shane O'Neill of Benton; Brianna Leahy and Will Burgess of Shullsburg; Nathan Thomas of Argyle; and Kaitlyn Larson, Adam Moore and Chaesta Shager of Gratiot/South Wayne area. The exhibits were on display throughout the fair. Merit award recipients were: Cora Carpenter, Brianna Leahy and Will Burgess.

Adam Moore, Gratiot, received the prestigious James Crowley Award for his tremendous work and accomplishments as a dairy youth leader in Lafayette County. Moore was nominated and selected within the county, where he filled out an application and interviewed for the award during the Wisconsin State Fair. He was named one of the "Top 10" in the state.

Fifteen Lafayette County youth were among the state youth who exhibited their dairy animals at Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Show, Aug. 5-9. Participants included: Rebeka Dieter, Breana Dieter, Katie Wallenhorst and Ashley Sullivan of Cuba City; Alex Abraham of South Wayne/Gratiot; Jeannie Dammen, Jackie Dammen and Tracy Dammen of Argyle; Shane Nodolf of Belmont; and Cody Carpenter, Colton Carpenter, Carson Carpenter, Tyler Shager, Ashley Martin, and Jeremy Calvert of Darlington. Results included:

• Alex Abraham: 4th red Fall Holstein Calf

• Jeremy Calvert: 3rd blue Fall Brown Swiss Calf

• Cody Carpenter: 6th blue 4-year-old Holstein cow; 10th blue Spring Holstein Yearling; and made the finals in showmanship

• Colton Carpenter: 2nd blue Spring Yearling Brown Swiss

• Carson Carpenter: 1st blue March Jersey Calf

• Jeannie Dammen: 1st red Winter Holstein Yearling

• Jackie Dammen: 1st white Winter Holstein Yearling; and made the finals in Showmanship

• Tracy Dammen: 6th red Winter Holstein Yearling

• Breana Dieter: 1st blue March Holstein Calf; and made the finals in Showmanship

• Rebeka Dieter: 3rd blue Holstein Fall Calf which then was 1st place Bred and Owned; 2nd red Fall Holstein Yearling; and made the finals in Showmanship

• Ashley Martin: 6th white with Holstein Winter Calf; made the finals in Showmanship

• Shane Nodolf: 2nd red Summer Holstein Yearling; 2nd red Winter Holstein Yearling

• Tyler Shager: 5th white Fall Holstein Yearling

• Ashley Sullivan: 1st white Spring Holstein Yearling

• Katie Wallenhorst: 5th white Holstein Fall Calf; made the finals and placed 6th overall in Showmanship

Each year, the dairy youth purchase feed and straw at the State Fair Park due to the cost of transporting and hauling all of the supplies. This year, taking the theme, "Eat Local Eat Dairy" to the next level, the youth themselves came up with the idea to see if any farmers in the area would be interested in selling hay and straw or any bedding to the group. They found a couple who were willing to negotiate prices, and the cost of exhibiting decreased immensely. They also received a donation of shavings from the Benton Feed-Farm Supply, which they graciously accepted.

Emma Berget and Kayla Lange, both of Darlington, represented Lafayette County at the State Fair Clothing Revue, Aug. 13-16. Both Berget and Lange earned Special Awards with their garments: Berget was awarded fourth place overall in all Formal Wear garments, while Lange received fourth place overall in all Sportswear garments. They were selected as State Fair delegates at the Lafayette County Clothing Preview, held in July. Berget also participated in the State FFA Choir.

Nearly 25 youth from the county competed in the beef, sheep and swine shows at the State Fair, held Aug. 10-13.

Youth that exhibited beef included: Kaley Bockhop, Cameron Carey, Bryant Schobert, Chelsey Schobert and Patrick Doan of Belmont; Rebeka Dieter of Cuba City; Tyler Berget, Emma Berget, Mykel Wedig, Mitchell Wedig and Levi Wedig of Darlington and Maureen Leahy of Shullsburg. Results included:

• Tyler Berget: 1st red Early Summer Angus yearling; 4th red March Angus Jr. yearling

• Emma Berget: 1st blue Jr. Yearling Angus heifer; 7th place overall in 16-year-old Showmanship

• Kaley Bockhop: Supreme Champion Junior Female (Early Summer Yearling who won Champion Angus and Champion Bred and Owned); 4th place in Showmanship; 1st red Angus steer

• Cameron Carey: 4th white Crossbred Market Steer

• Rebeka Dieter: 2 steers both received 2nd red Market Registered Dairy Steer; 8th place overall in Showmanship

• Patrick Doan: participated in showmanship; 3rd white Crossbred Steer

• Maureen Leahy: 2nd red Crossbred Market Steer

• Bryant Schobert: 3rd red Crossbred Market Steer

• Chelsey Schobert: 4th red Crossbred Market Steer

• Mitchell Wedig: 1st red Chianina Market Steer

• Mykel Wedig: 1st red Crossbred Market Steer; Champion Low Percentage Any Other Breed Heifer (Chianina).

• Levi Wedig: 2nd red Any Other Breed Steer

Sheep exhibitors included: Calvin Reilly and Tierney Reilly of Shullsburg; and Courtney Lobdell and Casey Lobdell of Darlington. Results were:

• Calvin Reilly: Reserve Champion Crossbred Lamb; 4th place in Age 13 Showmanship

• Tierney Reilly: Grand Champion Commercial Ewe, Age 16 Showmanship Winner, Reserve Grand Champion Overall Showmanship, Ninth Place in the Premier Livestock Exhibitor Competition, and in class, two second place wethers.

• Courtney Lobdell: Yearling ram 2nd blue, Fall ram lamb 1st red, Winter ram lamb 2nd blue, Yearling ewe 5th blue, Fall ewe lamb 2nd blue, Winter ewe lamb 5th blue, Spring ewe lamb 4th blue, and Market lamb 3rd red. Courtney was also 1st blue and Champion 14 year old showman. She was also named Southdown Premier Exhibitor which was a new award established this year by the Wisconsin Southdown Association, exhibitors earned points based on their placings in each class they exhibited in and the exhibitor who earned the most points showing Southdowns was awarded an embroidered show blanket.

• Casey Lobdell: Fall ram lamb 2nd blue, Spring ram lamb 2nd blue, Yearling ewe 4th blue, Fall ewe lamb 4th blue, Winter ewe lamb 4th blue, Spring ewe lamb 3rd blue, and Market lamb 3rd blue. Casey was also 2nd blue and Reserve Champion 12 year old showman. Casey also finished second place in the Southdown Premier Exhibitor Competition.

Lafayette County swine exhibitors included: Calvin Reilly and Tierney Reilly of Shullsburg; Carson Carpenter, Kent Miehe, Wade Larson, Tyler Berget and Emma Berget of Darlington; Tayton Stolee of Argyle; and Tia Niffenegger and Cameron Carey of Belmont.

• Tyler Berget: 2nd red Yorkshire barrow

• Emma Berget: 1st blue Crossbred barrow; 1st red Duroc barrow

• Cameron Carey: 4th white Berkshire market barrow

• Carson Carpenter: 1st red Crossbred barrow; 3rd white Crossbred barrow; 2nd pink Crossbred gilt

• Wade Larson: 1st white Crossbred barrow; 1st pink Crossbred barrow

• Kent Miehe: 3rd white Crossbred barrow

• Tia Niffenegger: 2nd white Berkshire market barrow

• Calvin Reilly: 2nd blue Crossbred barrow who was named Reserve Champion Heavyweight Crossbred; 2nd red Chester White barrow

• Tayton Stolee: 1st blue Spotted barrow who was named Reserve Champion Spotted Barrow; 1st red Poland China barrow

• Several of these youth participated in Showmanship, and results still have not been posted on this.

For more Wisconsin State Fair information in the junior or open shows, check the website at www.wistatefair.com.