Monday festivities at the 2025 McDonough County Fair included the sheep show.
Breeding Sheep and Market Lamb Show Results
In the Ram Lamb show, Janell Heaton of Good Hope, Illinois, was named Champion with her Suffolk lamb. Reserve Champion Ram Lamb went to Oakley Yard of Wataga with his Border Leicester lamb.
In the Purebred Ewe Show, Janell Heaton and her Suffolk yearling were named Champion Purebred Ewe, and Oakley Yard with her Border Leicester yearling was Reserved Champion.
In the Crossbred Ewe Show, Janell Heaton showed both the Champion and Reserve Champion Ewes.
Heaton Wins Grand Champion of the Breeding Sheep Show
The Overall Champion of the Breeding Sheep show went to Janell Heaton with her crossbred Ewe.
“I show for Heaton livestock based out of Fandaon. I’ve shown my whole life, and we show Suffolk crosses, but we are moving closer to Suffolk’s purebreds,” shares Heaton. “[The Judge] said that they were all really nice lambs, but there were just a few tweaks to do on a few of them that he would prefer to change, but there’s nothing really we could do about that. It’s their own structure.”
Hoge Wins Grand Champion of the Market Lamb Show
The Overall Champion of the Market Lamb Show was presented to Nora Hoge, and the Reserve Champion was Reed Carson.
“My two older brothers, Nolan and Carter, help me. I love it when they help me a lot. It helps me a lot to get in the ring and go to a bunch of shows without their help, I couldn’t do it,” says Hoge. “One of my older brothers had to show my sheep and Champion Market Lamb. It was fun to show— kind of painful. My sheep wasn’t really cooperating with me, but that’s okay.”
Coverage of the McDonough County Fair is made possible because of the support of our sponsors: Berry Creek Labs, Birkeys in Macomb and Galesburg, Complete Parts and Repair, F.A.R.M. 1 LLC, Farmers Grain in Roseville, HIS Fencing, Oak Wood Estates, Red Barn Electric, Tillitt Collision Center, and Western Illinois Accounting and Tax.
