4-H Participants Go Head-to-Head With Tough Competition At The State Fair
By: Kayla Moody
Updated: August 10, 2012
Hundreds of 4-H participants are heading to Indianapolis to compete in the Indiana State Fair. Evansville resident Hailie Klueg's is showing livestock at the state fair for the first time.
"It's way different up here," says Klueg. "Up here everybody takes it serious -- you've got the best of the best. I'm glad I got to come."
Klueg says the state competition is a different experience than the Vanderburgh County 4-H fair. "With showmanship, I didn't place at all and I'm not upset because I know several other wonderful showmen that are up here and they haven't placed at all either and it's really surprising at the competition and how heavy it gets."
Sisters Lindsey and Lacey Wilzbacher have competed at the state fair most of their lives. This year both are showing swine at the fair.
"My favorite part of showing pigs is showmanship because it's a big competition, not between pigs but between you and the other 4-H'ers, and seeing who can drive their pig the best and put it in the right spots," says Lindsey.
Both agree with Klueg: the state fair is a new level of competition. "It's a different ball game cause most these kids show all year around and they put a lot of money and effort into this," says Lacey.
Lindsey says the state fair is "a totally different environment" than the Vanderburgh County 4-H Fair. "In Vanderburgh County you see 80 hogs and up here you see hundreds," says Lindsey.
Klueg says attending the state fair for the first time will help her give other first-timers advice in the future. "I would tell them don't get discouraged if your grand champion doesn't even place, because a grand champion at home could get last place here," says Klueg.
Despite the tough competition, the competitors say -- win or lose -- they're still having fun showing off their hard work.
The Indiana State Fair kicked off last Friday. It ends August 19th.
"It's way different up here," says Klueg. "Up here everybody takes it serious -- you've got the best of the best. I'm glad I got to come."
Klueg says the state competition is a different experience than the Vanderburgh County 4-H fair. "With showmanship, I didn't place at all and I'm not upset because I know several other wonderful showmen that are up here and they haven't placed at all either and it's really surprising at the competition and how heavy it gets."
Sisters Lindsey and Lacey Wilzbacher have competed at the state fair most of their lives. This year both are showing swine at the fair.
"My favorite part of showing pigs is showmanship because it's a big competition, not between pigs but between you and the other 4-H'ers, and seeing who can drive their pig the best and put it in the right spots," says Lindsey.
Both agree with Klueg: the state fair is a new level of competition. "It's a different ball game cause most these kids show all year around and they put a lot of money and effort into this," says Lacey.
Lindsey says the state fair is "a totally different environment" than the Vanderburgh County 4-H Fair. "In Vanderburgh County you see 80 hogs and up here you see hundreds," says Lindsey.
Klueg says attending the state fair for the first time will help her give other first-timers advice in the future. "I would tell them don't get discouraged if your grand champion doesn't even place, because a grand champion at home could get last place here," says Klueg.
Despite the tough competition, the competitors say -- win or lose -- they're still having fun showing off their hard work.
The Indiana State Fair kicked off last Friday. It ends August 19th.
