Photo courtesy of Leah Christianson The judge shakes Leah Christianson’s hand at the State Fair sheep show last weekend. In spite of some tough competition, Christianson’s ewe advanced through the show to be named overall champion.

Leah Christianson knew she was up against some tough competition this year at the Minnesota State Fair. All season, she had been competing against many of the other exhibitors at the sheep show.

Then the judge picked her ewe as one of the top sheep in the state.

“I didn’t even know what to think, like my mind was just in a daze, I guess,” Christianson said. “So many emotions were just going on.”

Christianson, a Lyon County 4-H member from rural Lynd, came back from the State Fair with the prize for overall champion wether dam, as well as third place in senior sheep showmanship.

“This has been like a dream of mine,” she said.

This is Christianson’s fourth year showing sheep. She said she and her sister Paige started showing sheep with encouragement from family.

“My dad showed when he was younger, and he was like ‘I think you guys should show sheep.’ And I was like, ‘I never heard of that, but I’ll do it,'” she said. “In my second year of showing, I won my first ever banner, and I was like ‘Oh, that’s a pretty good feeling.’ “ Christianson said she thought if she worked hard and got good lambs, she could win more.

Christianson started showing sheep not only at the county and State Fair, but at other shows around Minnesota.

A lot of work goes into getting ready for the fair, starting with choosing a lamb at the beginning of the year. Christianson said she didn’t get her first choice for a lamb this year.

“The one that I actually had was my second pick — and I guess it was the best choice I’ve ever made,” she said.

The Christiansons work with their lambs, paying attention to their diet and exercise, and even having them work out on a treadmill.

“For four to six hours (a day) I’m in the barn,” she said. “It takes a lot of time, but it’s worth it.”

Leah advanced to the State Fair with her ewe Pookie in the wether dam class, which focuses on sheep that would be used for breeding market lambs.

Christianson said the State Fair was a bigger and more competitive environment for showing sheep. In order to become overall champion, a sheep first has to win champion in its class and division. At the State Fair sheep show on Aug. 24, judges picked Pookie as the champion black-faced wether dam, and then overall champion wether dam.

“I started off in the toughest class, because all the lambs there I had been losing against all season. I couldn’t beat them,” Christianson said. But things changed quickly as the judge made his selections.

“It was the top three lambs. (The judge) was looking at all of them, and then he points at me, ‘One.’ Then the girl that I couldn’t beat all year, he pointed at three. And then another girl that I couldn’t beat all year, two,” Christianson said. “And I was just like, whoa. That’s unexpected … Maybe I have a shot at this.”

Her excitement grew as she advanced to division championships. In that competition, Christianson said, the judge didn’t speak on the microphone, but he knew which sheep he wanted, and pointed at her.

“I didn’t think that was gonna happen at all, but then it went to the overalls,” Christianson said.

Once again, the judge was silent and decisive.

“He knew who this champion was, and it was me. And I was like, ‘Wow, that’s crazy,'” she said. “I was confused, because all these lambs I couldn’t beat all season, and now it’s state and I beat them.”

While Leah was feeling some shock, her family and friends were overjoyed.

“It was tears. Ever since I came out of that ring it was tears, hugs, congrats from people I’ve never seen in my life,” she said.

Another exciting part of the State Fair was that Christianson’s friend Madison Dwire, a Lincoln County 4-H member, also won the ribbon for champion market lamb.

“We’re just really proud of each other,” Christianson said.

Christianson was happy to to see how far she had come, both in terms of winning lambs, and in improving her showmanship skills.

“I don’t think a lot of people can say, for only showing for four years, that they can win the state fair,” she said.

She’s also looking ahead. As a wether dam, Pookie might produce some future champion lambs.

“I’m actually excited for next year because my ewe that I showed last year, she did pretty well too,” Christianson said.