ROME TOWNSHIP — Thursday morning may have been a time of victory for Steven Ridenour when he was named senior showman for market hogs, but he wasn’t about to rest on his laurels.

By 5 p.m., Ridenour was back in the barns of the fairground working for a couple of hours with a steer for this morning’s showman of showman competition.

Ridenour, 16, a member of the Greasy Ridge 4-H Club, said he felt confident working with all the other animals he had to handle today.

“I am worried about taking a steer,” he said. “Everything else I know how to do.”

Ridenour has been in 4-H for eight years, always showing hogs.

“I like doing it,” he said. “You are not perfect doing your stuff. It takes hard work and effort with your animals and pay attention to the judge.”

The Chesapeake High student plans to go into farming after he finishes his education and already appreciates that success equates to hard work.

“I put a whole lot effort in trying to win,” he said.

Taking junior showman for market hogs was Markie Norris, of Kitts Hill. This is fourth year for Markie to take the top prize in junior competition, winning it every time he has competed. This time it was with his 280-pound hog he called Whitey.

The Symmes Valley student said hard work every day was the secret to his success.

This was the first time for Bruce Beery of Chillicothe to judge an event at the Lawrence County Fair and he saluted the competitors.

“Their attitude was good out there,” Beery said. “I appreciated that. A lot of them smiled for me.

Beery judges on how the youth were able to drive their animals, how they kept their eye on the judge and their dress.