BY TAWNY SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The third annual 4-H Pet Show garnered some furr-ocious attention at the recent Martin County Harvest Festival.
Hosted by the Martin County 4-H Youth Development Organization of the UK Cooperative Extension Service, the opp-paw-tunity fostered community engagement between local organizations, youth leader volunteers and youth citizens to put on a delightful show that was guaranteed to produce a round of app-paws.
The 4-H Pet Show is in its prime making this relatively new event a yearly tradition. But pet shows have a long history of gathering community partners for paw-some entertainment starting with the first officially recognized dog show in Newcastle, England, in 1859.
The Martin County pets showcased entertaining pet-tential that would surely rival even historic fur-babies.
The spectacle was divided between two age divisions, ages 5-8 (Cloverbud Division) and 9-18 (4-H Division).
In each division, pets were separated into distinct categories: dogs, pocket pets, reptiles/amphibians/aquatics and livestock/farm animals.
In the 4-H Division, the competition was paws-itively fierce among canines. After going paw-to-paw in the Dog category, the results were in.
First place was awarded to Kami Fletcher and pet Vivi.
Second place was achieved by Sarah McCoy and Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi-Princess of Genovia (Millie).
Coming in third place was Isabella and Stormy Weather, followed by fourth-place entrants Allison and Sugar.
In the Cloverbud Division, the audience was lapping up the show. The competition was ruff, but the results revealed first place (Dog) went to Caroline and Teddy.
First place (Farm) went to Gracie Reed and pet pony Butterscotch. Second place (Farm) was awarded to Rayden and chicken Loretta.
The crowd went mutts for special category winners Kami and Vivi (Most Unique), Sarah and Millie (Best Trick) and Gracie and Butterscotch (People’s Choice).
Winners were awarded trophies and a free small milkshake voucher provided by Inez Dairy Drive-in.
The Martin County 4-H Development Organization extends gratitude to the Youth Volunteers: Sidney Gantt, Faith Caldwell, Isabella Jarrell, Shyla Moore, Knox Maynard, Christal Hinkle, Madelyn Hinkle and Ayden Warren.