Shelby McClelland receives two prestigious awards

On Saturday evening, Shelby McClelland, a senior at Nevada Union High School, took home two master showmanship awards – one in the small animal division and another in the large animal division. This is the “best of the best,” the highest showmanship award granted by the Nevada County Fair, and to receive two master showmanship awards at the same time is an honor bestowed upon very few in the agricultural community.

To receive a master showmanship award at the Nevada County Fair, an individual must have won showmanship for a particular specie of animal in the master showmanship division; and then go on to be able to show every specie of animal in that particular division. In the small animal division, master showmanship includes showing rabbits, poultry, cavies (guinea pigs), pygmy goat and dog.  In the large animal division, master showmanship includes showing beef cattle, dairy cattle, dairy goat, meat goat, sheep and swine.  Judges score participants on how well they show each animal.

In small animals, Shelby qualified for master showmanship by winning dog showmanship.  In the large animals, she qualified by winning for dairy goat showmanship.

Shelby is a 16-year-old senior at Nevada Union High School, and a member of Nevada Union FFA. She has been showing at the Nevada County Fair for 10 years. She is a 4H All-Star, and this past year she won Reserve Best Wether at the State Fair for pygmy goats.  She is currently serving as Regional Reporter for the Superior Region FFA.  This year, she has been chosen as a delegate to represent California at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“I was shocked to receive this honor,” said McClelland. “All those I was competing against are so good at what they do, competitive, and truly know their stuff. All I could do was stay focused, work hard and try my best. I’m so excited, and now I can relax and enjoy the Fair.”

“This is such a prestigious honor to receive both small animal and large animal master showmanship awards at one Fair,” said Robin Hauck, Deputy Manager of the Nevada County Fair. “It is very rare, and, to our knowledge, the only time that this has happened at the Nevada County Fair.”

Visit NevadaCountyFair.com for information about the Nevada County Fairgrounds.

Source: Wendy Oaks
Publicist Nevada County Fair