Jameson Rowland was named Overall Alpaca Showman Wednesday morning at the sixth-annual Fayette County Junior Fair Alpaca Showmanship Show in the sales arena.
Rowland is a member of the Funny Farmers 4-H club and is a fourth-year showman. On Wednesday, Rowland showed his alpaca, “Bubba.”
“I just really like how much the alpacas get attached to you,” Rowland said. “I’m really happy with how things went today, we had a good time and I’m very happy. We can’t wait to show again.”
This year, the alpaca show included 24 alpacas. When the show started six years ago, there were only seven.
Brooke Reeves, also of Funny Farmers 4-H, came in second overall with her 4-year-old alpaca, “Dinozzo.” McKenna Castro of the Top Performers 4-H club came in third place overall with her alpaca “Betsy,” and Steven Lehr of the Funny Farmers 4-H club came in fourth place.
“My alpaca is the best alpaca,” said Lehr. “She just likes to step up and take care of the other alpacas. She’s a good alpaca.”
Laurel Shouvlin judged Wednesday’s alpaca show. Shouvlin is from Springfield, and has raised alpacas since 1997. Shouvlin is a trained Alpaca Owners’ Association judge and has been judging for over six years.
“I just love kids and the 4-H program, and what it does for our youth,” Shouvlin said. “I love coming out to meet with the youth and working at the county fairs. I enjoy helping with the kids and seeing what they’ve learned, and teaching them if I can.”
Shouvlin has judged all over the United States, Canada, and judged one of the first parader shows in Australia last September. “I’d love to get to Europe, but they haven’t asked me yet!” said Shouvlin.
