Milwaukee City Wire

While many teens at the Wisconsin State Fair were focused on carnival rides, eight students from MPS’s Vincent School of Agricultural Science were hard at work, caring for their lambs and showing them in the ring.

The tasks for the students in the State Fair’s Sheep and Goat Barn were seemingly constant: cleaning the lambs, cleaning the pens, and cleaning outside the pens; watering the lambs, feeding the lambs, and shearing the lambs — and knowing how male and female lambs should be sheared differently.

These were not tiny lambs that the students were wrangling. The animals, about six months old, weighed an average of about 120 pounds each.

The students had already worked with their lambs for months, looking after them since May and training them to be shown at the State Fair. In late June and early July, students attended a camp led by local experts to learn the ins and outs of showing their lambs, organized by Vincent staff.

One of the first things students do with their lambs is get them used to being away from their flock. “They rely on each other,” said Tayevion Hopgood, who will be a senior at Vincent in September. The lambs also have to get used to being handled by a human because judges will evaluate them in the ring through touch.

Markell Jones, who is also a rising senior at Vincent, could tell that his lamb was anxious when away from other lambs. But he said, “She’s a nice girl; she’s good.”

It was Markell’s second time showing lambs at the State Fair. He and other Vincent students learned at school how to put halters on their lambs for training, how to set them so they stand properly for judges, and how to walk their lambs in front of judges. The lambs have to be able to walk without a lead in the ring.

As Tayevion worked with his lamb over past months, he could see progress. At first, “he did not like me doing anything — he tried to push me away,” Tayevion said. The lamb eventually became used to behaving as Tayevion wanted him to behave.

It was her second year showing at the State Fair for Elizabeth Weiss, who will be a junior at Vincent. Over summer she saw her lamb every day for at least an hour “to train and just spend quality time with my lamb,” she said.

Also showing lambs at the State Fair were Vincent students Kayziah Smith, TreShawn Conner, Tatianna Hudson, Gabrille Irvin, and Khamari Moutry.

The students arrived at the State Fair by 8:15 a.m., Monday August 5th., staying in dormitories on fairgrounds until Thursday morning readying themselves for care duties and shows.

Students raising female or breeding sheep showed ewe-lamb exhibits Tuesday August 6th; those with male or market entries presented ram-lamb displays Wednesday August 7th culminating Thursday August 8th where all participants showcased showmanship before evaluators concluded assessments

Monica Gahan animal science teacher noted selection requires application while breeding program determines capacity based on January-February birth counts since initial participation began back-2017 transitioning self-sufficiency pre-pandemic interruption resuming post-2022 hiatus

Following annual event conclusions meat-sale decisions apply towards rams while ewes undergo future-breeding consideration per Gahan remarks

Students reflect career aspirations influenced through experiences: Markell envisions farm employment citing skill benefits whereas Tayevion shifted towards agricultural engineering facilitated via internship opportunities exemplified Milwaukee County Zoo engagement finally Elizabeth transitioned veterinarian focus embracing farm-animal specialization attributing vocational redirection upon attending-Vincent

Vincent School located 7501 N Granville Road Milwaukee expects new barn addition upcoming academic year supporting agricultural curriculum expansion