BROWNSTOWN
As his daughters placed their golden laced Polish cockerels back in their cages, Chris Combs had to step aside and let what just happened sink in.
For the first time, Sarah Combs, 10, and her sister, Shylee Combs, 9, both of Medora, participated in the Jackson County 4-H Poultry Show.
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Judge Jason Branson of Rush County awarded Sarah winner of the continental standard division and Shylee reserve during Monday’s show, which was the first one conducted in the new Show Arena 2.
That moment made Chris emotional, but they were happy tears.
He was proud because growing up in Ripley County, Chris showed poultry for eight years.
“I told them, ‘I’d like to bring your name into this county,’ and they did it,” he said, smiling.
Chris was impressed because it was the girls’ first time competing in Jackson County and they are learning the different rules. For instance, they had four cockerels but could only show one apiece.
“I told the girls before they went up there, I said, ‘Pick your best bird. This isn’t daddy,’” Chris said. “Out of those (cockerels) in those pens, they picked the best two.”
Sarah and Shylee, who were among the 21 competitors in the show, both said they learned everything they need to know about poultry from their father and other family members.
“There was a lot of pressure,” Sarah said, smiling.
Chris, however, had confidence in Sarah because he said she has had a lifelong love of poultry.
“Ever since she was a little baby, we have had chickens running around, and she has always been the one that a chicken gets loose, she goes and catches it,” Chris said. “Then her little sister has kind of fallen into place.”
Every year, Sarah has received money from her grandmother for her birthday and used it to buy chickens, Chris said.
“I feel like when you get them, they are like babies to you because you raise them from a little baby,” said Sarah, a fifth-grader at Brownstown Elementary School. “Then whenever they get a little older, you can always show them. It’s like an adventure of seeing what will happen after getting them.”
The girls started raising their fair entries in March under a heat light as chicks.
“They were like tiny baby chicks, and then they turned into big ones,” said Shylee, a fourth-grader at Brownstown Elementary School.
The sisters had to build pens for their poultry, and then feed and water them a couple of times every day.
That way, they were ready when it came time for the fair.
Both girls said they will use the advice given by Branson in their future with poultry.
“It gives me an opportunity to know what I did wrong and everything,” Shylee said.
“It’s pretty cool because after doing this, we each have learned something,” Sarah said. “After we finish, we’re probably going to do this again next year and see what happens.”