Teresa Hromis shows a sheep during the 2021 Youth Sheep Expo at the Hancock County Fairgrounds.
Daily Reporter file photo
GREENFIELD – A thousand sheep from across North America are heading to town in the coming days for the return of a yearly event showcasing children’s skills with the animals.
The third annual Youth Sheep Expo is July 28 through 31 at the Hancock County Fairgrounds.
The Greenfield-based Indiana Livestock Association organizes the event. Lloyd Arthur, who co-chairs the expo with Debbie Vansickle, said he expects 1,000 sheep across 21 breeds this year. Exhibitors hail from 12 states, he continued, adding a family from Canada plans to come as well.
The expo first started in 2020 as a way to offer a sheep show amid cancellations of others across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everybody who comes really loves the town of Greenfield,” Arthur said, adding they like the accessibility of the fairgrounds and laid-back nature of the show.
The expo provides a full lineup of events, including showmanship competitions for both individuals and teams. Shows will also be streamed live online this year at https://bit.ly/3omsQMH.
Exhibitors who show the best ram and ewe get $1,000 each, and cash prizes will be awarded for other top places too.
The Skill-a-Thon will test participant’s knowledge of sheep as they compete for prizes.
The expo will also feature a trade show in the fairgrounds’ exhibit hall. Additional special events include a pool party Friday night at the nearby Kathy Dowling Aquatic Center, as well as a taco bar and cornhole tournament, both on Saturday.
The Hancock County Tourism Commission granted the expo $25,000 at its meeting earlier this month, during which organizers and commission members discussed the tourism benefits of the event.
Vansickle noted 130 exhibitors had signed up for the expo as of the tourism commission meeting.
“For me that translates into more people staying in hotels; it’s going to bring more people in,” she said, adding she often recommends local businesses for expo attendees to stop at.
Brigette Cook Jones, executive director of Hancock County Tourism, recalled the success of the show since its inception amid the pandemic.
“The people enjoyed the community,” Jones told the Daily Reporter. “They enjoyed the show, they liked the facilities, so that enabled it to continue even post-COVID.”
She agreed the event has a positive impact on local tourism.
“It’s a four-day event, so it definitely put some people in the hotels,” Jones said. “But tourism’s not just about the hotels, tourism’s also about the restaurants, and the shops, and the activities, because there are several different things that are going to be going on this weekend that those folks that are here may also be able to enjoy. They’ve got some opportunities to have some fun and for us to put our best foot forward as a community and welcome these people from all over.”
For more information and the full schedule of events, visit the Youth Sheep Expo Facebook page and youthsheepexpo.weebly.com.
