Watson wins 14 championship titles at local and state fairs

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

— Lensey Watson, a junior at Decatur High School, was very successful showing her sheep at the Benton County Fair, Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair and Arkansas State Fair this year, winning a number of awards, including two purple circle awards and more than 14 championship titles.

Watson was also the first Decatur student since the early 1990’s to participate in the Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair sale with her Hampshire market lamb.

Watson has been showing animals for 11 years - since she was five years old. She has a total of 40 sheep registered in her name, and showed about 30 of them this year, she said. Her herd includes Hampshire, Natural Colored, Cotswold and Crossbreeds.

Watson said she placed sixth in the Hampshire sale at the Arkansas Oklahoma State Fair and eighth in the sheep sale overall. There were 20 other sheep in the sale, she said.

“I was really excited. I’ve been showing there since I was nine and I had never accomplished (being a part of the sale),” Watson said.

Exhibitors from the borders of both states participate in the Arkansas Oklahoma State Fair, according to agricultural teacher Lisa Barrett. Historically about 95 percent of the animals included in the sheep sale are from Oklahoma, she explained. The judge selects the top three to five animals in each class to be included in the sale, so being a part of the sale is quite prestigious.

So how does one prepare 30 sheep for a show? The sheep are trained as lambs to lead and stand for the show. Watson doesn’t haveto spend much time with the older more experienced sheep, but works with the younger sheep every night until they are well trained. She also shows horses throughout the year and is very active in 4-H and FFA.

Among her other accomplishments, Watson was chosen to participate in the National FFA Band and the FFA National Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. in October. She was one of 85 FFA members from across the United States and Canada - and the only student from Arkansas - chosen to participate in the band based on submitted recordings.Watson spent eight days at the convention and rehearsals were often intense, beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 10 p.m., but the experience was definitely worthwhile.

“I met a lot of people from across the country... but by the third day it was like we were playing in a big family,” Watson said.

Awards Arkansas State Fair Junior Show: Two purple circle awards; Reserve Champion Hampshire ram and ewe, Grand and Reserve Champion Cotswold rams and ewes, second in Senior Breeding Sheep Showmanship, first and fifth in commercial ewe class; ninth and fourteenth in market lamb classes. Open Show: Reserve Grand Champion Cotswold ram and ewe.

Benton County Fair Fourteen first place wins.

Grand and Reserve Champion Hampshire rams and ewes;

Grand and Reserve Champion Cotswold rams and ewes;

Supreme Champion Ram. Fifth lamb in Benton County Junior Livestock Auction.

Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair Junior Show: Grand and Reserve Champion Hampshire rams; Grand Champion Hampshire ewe; Grand Champion Cotswold ram; Breeding sheep Super Showman. Third in Hampshire market lamb class;

6th in Hampshire market lamb sale order and 8th overall lamb in the Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair Junior Livestock Auction. Reserve Grand Champion of the Carcass Contest with sale weather. Open Show: Reserve Grand Champion Cotswold ram and ewe.

Community, Pages 11 on 12/08/2010