This year’s grand and reserve champions for the market lamb show are keeping it in the family.

Nine-year-old Kara Saunders of Scottown and Ethan Cade of Waterloo are cousins. This is the first year for either of them to participate in showing market animals at the fair.

“All that hard work paid off,” said Ethan

Ethan’s lamb, “Star,” won the reserve champion. He gave a big thumbs-up to celebrate the victory. Ethan also said that he’ll be back next year, but he will be trying his hand at a different animal.

Kara won grand champion with her lamb “Pop.”

“Pop” got away from her during the showing, but her grandmother is still very proud.

“She held her composure until the very end,” said Kay Myers, Kara’s grandmother.

Kara said she had been preparing for this event for about three months.

Both cousins were proud of each other for winning. They were the youngest exhibitors of the Market Lamb Show.