The young lady awarded grand champion of showmanship at the Indiana State Fair says reaching the pinnacle was important for both her and her family. Jordyn Sills of Wells County told HAT after the Supreme Livestock Showmanship contest the emphasis on being able to show the animals dates back to her grandpa.
“He advocated showmanship,” she explained. “It was mattered more to him than how you did in class.”
Sills had won the beef showmanship title to get into Saturday night’s spotlight event where she and 5 other winners from earlier in the fair handled 3 species, cattle, swine, and sheep. Ultimately she just wanted to remain poised.
“Keep cool and collected because I knew as soon as I started to freak out the animals would start to freak out, so my main focus was to even if I had a negative situation happen just to have a positive attitude towards it.”
Swine judge Cody Reichart said Sills was outstanding while he observed her with the hog.
“I thought she did a great job in all honesty. I didn’t even know she was a cattle girl until they announced it at the end. She looked like a natural out there and all those kids did.”
But she does have experience with hogs.
“Actually I do show swine as one of my 4-H projects so I’ve had experience with swine. Obviously I’m a cattle girl, but the sheep is my hardest by far because it’s just you and sheep. You don’t have any control over it besides your hands on it, so I think that’s the most difficult species to show.”
Jordyn Sills plans to attend a junior college to pursue livestock judging followed by a 4-year school to continue judging and major in agribusiness management or ag communications.
Collin Tennant from Wabash County was named the Reserve Grand Champion Showman. Others participating were Adrianne Trennepohl, Henry County; Paige Wininger, Montgomery County; Cameron Bennington, White County; Mackenzie Padgett, Clinton County.