MOUNT VERNON — Sarah Hohman walked away with the Master Showmanship award for goat showmanship, and Rayenna Schlairet received the award for Best Doe of Show after the goat show at the Knox County Fair on Tuesday.

Judging the event was Kirt Schnipke from Pandora. Schnipke is a licensed dairy goat judge with the American Dairy Goat Association.

Hohman said she has worked with goats for the past 10 years.

“I’m very excited. It’s my first time [receiving] the award,” said Hohman.

Hohman also noted that she was not excited about showing chickens as part of the competition for the Showman of Showmen award.

“I’m dreading it, actually,” said Hohman, referring to the chicken show portion of the competition.

Schnipke was complimentary of the participants in the goat show.

“The showmanship was the best quality showmanship show I’ve seen the entire year from across the country,” Schnipke. “They all knew how to show their goats. I can tell that they all put a lot of work into it and I really appreciate all the work.

“Overall, the show was a wonderful exhibit of knowledge with the kids,” said Schnipke. “I can tell that the advisors and parents have really worked with their exhibitors.”

Schnipke also said that those showing goats were very nice to work with.

“[This was] a very pleasant show to judge. ... The kids were very pleasing [and] always polite and courteous to each other and to me. I really appreciate all the help from the advisors and the show staff as well,” he said. “I really want to commend all the kids for a very nice job; [they had] excellent, excellent knowledge ... I can’t say it enough.”

The show ran smoothly save for a mix-up after the junior goat showmanship event. When the event began, Matteo Lybarger was instructed by Schnipke to use a different animal. Lybarger then used a different animal, which cooperated nicely, and he was awarded first place in the junior showmanship category.

Shortly thereafter the award was rescinded, as the rules of the fair do not allow a person to participate in showmanship with an animal other than their own, according to Troy Cooper of the OSU Extension Service. After the violation of the rules was pointed out, first place in junior showmanship was awarded to Madelyn Moss, who went on to compete in the master showmanship competition.

In addition to Hohman winning the senior class and Moss winning the junior class, Anevin Tharp, intrmediate class winner, and Tori Anders, first-year class winner, competed for the master showman title.