At the Montrose County Fair, behind the polished show rings and prize ribbons, you’ll find young competitors putting in real work. Just before the Junior Sheep Show, we caught up with two local teens as they prepared their lambs for competition — shearing, clipping, and coaxing them to stand just right.
“My name is Macie Dessauer and I’m clipping my lamb right now,” she said, buzzing through the wool. “It’s kind of like a haircut. It makes it cooler for them, and it helps the judge get a good feel on the lamb.”
Next to her, Alexis Glover added, “The coats they wear after we shear them help keep them cool and protect them from the sun.”
Sheep show prep is serious business. These animals aren’t just groomed for looks — they’re judged on muscle and structure. As Macie put it, “You want a nice big rack, and certain parts and pieces to make the lamb look good.”
Alexis' dad, Corey Glover, broke it down further: “You got your three main cuts — the rack, the loin, and the leg. But they also look at structure, body condition, how the lamb moves. It’s all part of it.”
That attention to detail continues down to the lamb’s legs. “In showmanship, they want fluffy leg wool,” said Macie. “It’s like a boot. You never cut that off.”
Beyond grooming, there’s hours of training and husbandry. “I practice showmanship pretty much daily,” said Macie. “Setting legs, locking them, showing the front profile… it all comes into play.”
Both girls agree the commitment goes beyond daily feedings. “It’s like having a kid,” Macie said. “You’re watching them all the time. What they’re eating, if they’re getting out, if they’re okay.”
Mr Glover sees value in all of it. “These kids are learning how to care for an animal, how to be responsible. And they’re raising something that ends up as quality food on someone’s table.”
The Delta County Fair continues this weekend with a rodeo Saturday night at 7. Next up is the Ouray County Fair, running August 7th through 9th.
Whether you’re there for the rodeo, the funnel cake, or the livestock shows, it’s a great time to get out and support western Colorado’s ag community — and the kids putting in the work behind the scenes.
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Thanks to Macie and Lea Dessauer, and Corey and Alexis Glover for speaking with KVNF.
