Keeping clean for competition

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July 22, 2009

By DUANE NOLLEN

OSKALOOSA — Skylar DeJong’s sheep were squeaky clean Tuesday afternoon with a little help from his brother, Spencer, and cousin, Zack Goemaat.

Spencer and Zack were washing sheep for Skylar in preparation for the sheep show Wednesday. The pair had some sheep lathered up during a light rain shower Tuesday, then they washed them off with a hose.

Skylar said they were applying shampoo to get the sheep’s coat nice and white. Sheep are washed once or twice before competition, he said.

Skylar is a member of the Mahaska Masters 4-H Club and this is his second year of competition. He said he was excited about the Wednesday contest.

“I get to make new friends,” Skylar said.

Zack is a member of the Jefferson Go-Getters 4-H Club and likes helping his cousin prepare for the sheep competition.

“I show bottle calves,” Zack said.

Zack agrees that making new friends is the best part of competing at the Southern Iowa Fair. It also gives him a chance to hang out with his cousins.

Zack has been competing for four years, and the bottle calf contest is on Saturday. Zack said he also has to wash his calves like his cousin washes his sheep. He says the only real difference is the shampoo he uses.

Zack said that washing and grooming is not the hardest part of the competition.

“It’s more the interview you do before the show,” he said. The judges ask contestants questions about how they care for and house their animals, he said.

Herald Editor Duane Nollen can be reached by email at oskynews@oskyherald.com

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Reg Randau speaks at a candidate forum at Smokey Row back in May. At the time, he was running as a Republican for a seat on the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors. Now he’s running as an Independent.