FFA member Amelia Brown, of Karns City, gets a lamb on a stand to take pictures of its progress at the Big Butler Fair on Friday in Prospect. Joseph Ressler/Butler Eagle 7/1/22

PROSPECT — They have been preparing for this week for months.

Members of 4-H clubs and other farming groups have been grooming and training their livestock to put their best hoof forward at the Big Butler Fair, which, amid other festivities, has animal showings scheduled nearly every day through July 9.

Among those who will show their animals at the fair this year is Cydney McDeavitt, a Butler County 4-H member from Saxonburg. She said preparing her goats for their showings has kept her busy.

“I have 10 goats, so I have been clipping for the past two weeks,” McDeavitt said. “I had to get them all ready.”

Katie Kerr, 17, helps Daisy Snow, 16, hang the sign in front of her lambs at the Big Butler Fair on Friday in Prospect. Joseph Ressler/Butler Eagle

Cydney McDeavitt shaves her goat, Ivy, to prepare her for showing at the Big Butler Fair this coming week. EDDIE TRIZZINO/BUTLER EAGLE

She also has a market steer to show.

According to Amy Metrick, Butler County 4-H educator, many children in 4-H got their animals for the fair in March or April — aside from beef steer — which would probably have been obtained in the latter half of 2021.

On Friday, she didn’t have the final count of how many Butler County members were participating in the fair exhibitions, but she estimated “a good many of them” would compete. She added that some 4-H members also created art projects that will be shown at the fair.

“It’s always a big thing for us,” Metrick said. “The kids all get their animals ready for weeks for this.”

Additionally, Butler County 4-H provides a petting zoo at the fair, which Metrick said is the second biggest fundraiser for the club. The Butler Fair & Agricultural Association also donated $4,500 to the club this year, she said.

The exhibitions scheduled at the fair are for the children to show off the animals they have raised, which are also judged by fair staff. However, many of the children go on to show and sell their animals at the Butler Farm Show, which takes place in August.

Makenzie Schultheis, 10, holds up one of her goats that she plans to show in an exhibit at the Big Butler Fair. EDDIE TRIZZINO/BUTLER EAGLE

“(The fair) is like a trial run so they can see how everything goes,” Metrick said.

Makenzie Schultheis, 10, of Butler, will show several goats at the fair as well — one she has been raising for three years. On Friday, she was spending time in the pen with her three goats, keeping them company and brushing them as they grazed on hay.

“I’m excited for it,” she said.

For information on the schedule and livestock shows, visit the fair’s website at bigbutlerfair.com.

Goats are pictured in a pen at the Big Butler Fair on Friday in Prospect. Joseph Ressler/Butler Eagle 7/1/22