ROME TOWNSHIP — Walter, the market lamb, was, well, pardon the pun, baaad. He reared up on his hind legs, bleeted and generally balked at anything Kathy Rudolph wanted him to do. But still, he and Rudolph, of the Kitts Hill Willing Workers, walked away with the grand champion trophy Monday night in the market lamb competition at the Lawrence County Junior Fair.

“This lamb was tremendously thick, tremendously clean and very eye-appealing,” judge Brad Kasler, of Athens County, said.

The reserve champion trophy went to Kenda Saunders, of Starlite.

“It feels great,” Rudolph said of her first place finish, “especially after the trouble he gave me in the ring.”

Saunders said she was “overwhelmed” with her second place finish.

In the showmanship competition, the junior division first place trophy went to Levi Cade, of Starlite, while Kelsey Huddle, of Barnbusters, finished first in the senior division.

In the skillathon competition, the top three winners in the junior division were, Levi Cade, of Starlite, Tyler Rowe, of Scottown Farmers and Farmerettes and Tiara Hatfield, of Arabia All-Stars, took home the prizes while in the senior division, Kelsie Huddle, of Barnbusters, Kendra Saunders, of Starlite and Kathy Rudolph, of Kitts Hill Willing Workers, took home the top three spots respectively.

Kasler praised the overall offerings in the market lamb competition, saying, “You’ve got wonderful kids and some very good sheep.”