Alta Mayhugh|Williston Herald Tana Conlin, right, judge for the 4-H Poultry Show handles Jake Sanders’ hen at the Upper Missouri Valley Fair on Thursday.
The audience was quiet as the judges inspected the poultry and rabbits. When the ribbons were awarded, the audience clapped.
Two participants were showing for the first time, and for one young man, it was an extra special day, as Thursday was Jake Sanders' birthday.
Sanders of Williston earned grand champion and reserve champion honors for his hen. Sanders turned 8 Thursday and was pleased he won awards on his first try, as he enjoyed the experience of showing his hen.
"I liked that I learned how to hold them correctly," he said. Birthday plans included eating some ice cream cake and going mini-golfing and camping on Saturday.
Williston's LaMae Walton, 9, showed her Holland lop, brown-and-white rabbit for the first time. She also enjoyed participating in the show.
"It's fun and you get to enjoy your rabbit," she said as she earned a reserve champion award and a blue ribbon.
"I feel pretty good for this being my first year," she said.
Thursday was also a milestone day for Katie Sperling, 14, of rural Williston. She showed a Rhode Island red and red star poultry by herself for the first time, as she usually shows with her sister. She earned a grand champion award for her Rhode Island red and reserve grand champion and champion poultry showmanship for her red star.
"I'm very excited," she said of earning the awards.
She likes raising the poultry from the time they're baby chicks.
"They get to know you more if you raise them yourself," Sperling said.
Deidra Sorenson, 10, of Grenora, earned grand champion and reserve champion for her mini-lop mix rabbit. Walker Lee, 11, rural Williston, 11, earned grand champion for his Holland lop rabbit.
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