“This new category will not have the animals at the fair,” she said. “They will actually be judged at the butchers.”

Carcass Swine and Lamb will still require the 4-H youth to raise and care for the animal as they raise it for the market. Sara said the animals will be taken to the butcher on Aug. 14 and will be judged on Aug. 18.

“The judges will be judging a whole carcass hanging in the butcher’s cooler,” Sara said. “They will be looking to see a very lean carcass.”

She added the top 10 will place in each category (swine and sheep), but not all will be available for the auction that occurs at the fair. Only the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion carcasses will be sold at the fair auction. Both will be shown by a photograph.

Lacie Greier is preparing to show her lambs and pigs during this year’s fair. (Photo by J.T. Whitehouse)

Sara said the new categories have been well received with 60 local youth entering. Sara and Wayne Greier’s daughter and son are among that number.

Lacie, 15, is a student at West Branch High School. She was attending South Range, but according to Sara that school did not have an agriculture program so she entered open enrollment at West Branch.

Lacie has been involved in Junior Fair for some time and has been showing animals since 2019. She has served as the 2025 Sheep and Wool Ambassador and is looking forward to a busy fair. She has attended 10 shows this year where youth can earn ribbons and money. She said it helps to get used to a routine when showing an animal.

“Besides having a carcass swine and sheep entry, I will also be showing market swine, market lamb, breeding sheep and beef feeder cow projects,” she said.

Lacie also serves as a member of the Junior Fair Board and is in the Growing Traditions 4-H Club.

For the future, Lacie said she is considering nursing, but does want to do livestock judging for the fair. She would also like to see the Junior Fair committee get kids more involved in each animal species.

Sara and Wayne’s son Blake, 13, will also be busy at the fair. He is a student at South Range High School and will be showing both carcass classes as well as market swine, market sheep, market goat and breeding sheep animals.

Besides handling all the animal projects, Blake also helps out around the family farm and runs most of the equipment along with his father.

“I would someday like to take over the family farm,” he said. “But I do prefer grain farming [over livestock].”