You know when you walk into a basketball court and it is a game against your biggest rival? The energy and nerves are high. You’ve spent months preparing for this game and hope you can pull the win. Showing at the Indiana State Fair is similar to that. The Indiana State Fair is the place where memories are made for people from all backgrounds. There is so much to do from the food to the livestock, to the carnival rides, you never walk away unsatisfied. However, most people just see the barns and think of stinky animals and say, “No thanks!” However, most people do not realize the work put into the animals in the barns.

There are hundreds of animals and exhibitors that attend the state fair each year. Most come with the goal to make it to The Dirt. Now you may ask questions like, “What is The Dirt?” and “What’s its significance?” The dirt is also known as the Indiana State Fair Farmers Coliseum. To have the privilege to exhibit an animal on the dirt is always something to be proud of. Junior, Matt Minnick, not only exhibited an animal on the dirt but was chosen as The Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb. (For those of you not fair-minded, he basically won second overall at the State Fair! It is a really big deal.) Matt was asked how it felt to exhibit the Reserve Grand Champion Market lamb and he said, “It was a very amazing, memorable experience. Feels like all of the hard work paid off. I had a very fast heartbeat and nervousness while on the dirt.” Matt was also asked how he got here and he said, “ Hours and hours of working with my sheep every day, from simply mixing feed every day to washing, conditioning, and blowing out legs, to walking them, putting them on the treadmill, and practicing hand walking and setting them up to ensure that they look their best in the show ring.” Matt was finally asked what the dirt was like and he said, “It was awesome, there are tons of people watching and you have to make sure you perform your absolute best. This is when it truly clicks that everything you’ve been doing in preparation for the state fair is worth it. It is nerve-racking but in an exciting way.”

Mr. Plank, a livestock enthusiast and Agriculture teacher here at Cass, was also asked how challenging it was to make it to The Dirt and he said, “To make it to the Dirt one must first make it to the grand champion drive of their species. To do that you need to be a champion or reserve in your animal’s particular breed. To make it to the championship drive of your individual breed you would need to place first or second in class. With Indiana being one of the most competitive livestock showing states’, winning a class at the state fair is a big deal in itself and doesn’t just come with a first place ribbon but also a vinyl banner, but even then as a class winner, you still may not make it to “The Dirt.” Ultimately it’s a big deal because anybody who has shown at the Indiana State Fair knows what the Coliseum is and aspires to make it to the Grand Drive and show on “The Dirt.” So if everybody wants to be there and you’re in one of the most competitive livestock states, you can see why it is a big deal.”

As someone who also shows sheep and shows year round I do agree with them on the challenges and work that is put into the high-level livestock that showmen exhibit at the Indiana State Fair. I also know that having the privilege to exhibit an animal that first wins their class, breeds, and then makes it to The Dirt is something that people wish and work for. Watching people exhibit animals on The Dirt is an amazing experience itself, so I can only imagine what it is like to exhibit an animal on The Dirt.

All in all the Indiana State Fair is one of the most memorable places. No matter what you go for whether it is the livestock, the food, or the fun there is always something to do and experience. Sure the rides, games, and food are always great, but the livestock is top-notch and is definitely something to check out. The next time you see a showman working their livestock remember the work, time, and energy put into the high-quality livestock they are about to exhibit.