Top Youth Exhibitors Shine at Washington County Fair Sheep Shows

WASHINGTON, Iowa — Local youth exhibitors took center stage at the Washington County Fair’s 2025 sheep shows, earning top honors and awards across a range of categories showcasing breeding stock, market lambs, showmanship, and carcass quality. Backed by numerous community sponsors, the event was a celebration of livestock excellence and the dedication of 4-H and FFA members.

Breeding Ewe Divisions

Purebred Ewe Lamb

• Champion – Lexton Fisher
• Reserve – Javan Davis

White/Speckle-Faced Commercial Ewe Lamb

• Champion – Morgan Nafzinger
• Reserve – Adelyn Huston,

Black-Faced Commercial Ewe Lamb

• Champion – Ella Greiner
• Reserve – Ava Greiner

Commercial Breeding Yearling Ewe

• Champion – Ella Layh
• Reserve – Hunter Barnes

Supreme Breeding Sheep

• Champion – Ella Greiner
• Reserve Champion – Ava Greiner

Market Lamb Divisions

Dorset Market Lamb

• Champion – Morgan Leichty
• Reserve – Ella Layh

Hampshire Market Lamb

• Champion – Ava Greiner
• Reserve – Ella Greiner

Natural Market Lamb

• Champion – Emma Greiner
• Reserve – Conner Leyh

Speckle Market Lamb

• Champion – Caedyn Huston
• Reserve – Rena Lyle

All Other Breeds

• Champion – Ava Greiner
• Reserve – Makinley Davis

Crossbred Market Lamb

• Champion – Ella Greiner
• Reserve – Morgan Leichty

Grand Champion Market Lamb

• Champion – Ava Greiner
• Reserve – Emma Greiner

Carcass Lamb

• Champion – Kameron Tusing
• Reserve – Luke Adam

Rate of Gain

• Champion – Kameron Tusing
• Reserve – Luke Adam

 

Premier Sheep Exhibitor

• Senior – Adelyn Huston,
• Intermediate – Elyanna Hahn,
• Junior – Callie Brink,

Pair of Lambs

• Champion – Adelyn Huston,
• Reserve – Brysen Davis

Showmanship Honors

• Top Gun – Morgan Leichty
• Senior – Jack Greiner
• Intermediate – Emma Greiner
• Junior – Callie Brink

From breeding quality to carcass merit and showmanship finesse, Washington County’s young livestock handlers once again raised the bar in 2025. Congratulations to all participants, families, and generous sponsors who made these events a continued tradition of excellence.

WASHINGTON, Iowa — For Ava Greiner, the 2025 Washington County Fair marks the end of an era and the celebration of a remarkable youth career rooted in hard work, passion, and community.

A senior sporting a special gray polo to signify her final year, Greiner has been a fixture in the livestock barns for nearly a decade. She’s a nine-year member of the ’76 Progressive 4-H Club and has spent the last six years with the Keota FFA chapter. This week’s fair marks her final showing season before she heads off to Iowa State University.

Greiner’s final showing day was one to remember. She was awarded Grand Champion Market Lamb and Reserve Grand Champion Breeding Ewe, topping off a career filled with similar highlights and steady growth as an exhibitor and leader.

In addition to her sheep, Ava also exhibited a goat earlier in the week and submitted projects in photography and cake decorating inside the exhibit hall. She’s not quite done yet—her sheep will appear once more in the Showdown and Final Drive—but for the most part, she says, “this is going to be a wrap for me. It’s a good note to go out on.”

As she closes the chapter on her 4-H and FFA journey, Ava Greiner looks ahead to new opportunities at Iowa State University, where she plans to major in animal science. She’s especially interested in pursuing a career in livestock embryology or the pharmaceutical side of the industry.

From barn boots to biotech, Ava’s journey is far from over—but the legacy she leaves behind in the show ring is one marked by dedication, leadership, and heart.

MOUNT PLEASANT — After two decades of leading school districts across Iowa, including recent years at the helm of the Mount Pleasant Community School District, Superintendent John Henriksen has announced that the 2025-2026 school year will be his last.

Henriksen’s announcement marks the beginning of a transition period for the district, as the school board prepares to begin the search for the next superintendent. While the timeline and process for hiring a successor have not yet been finalized, the board is expected to begin those conversations in the coming months.

Henriksen joined the Mount Pleasant Community School District as superintendent with a steady hand and a strong focus on academic achievement, staff support, and community engagement. His tenure has seen the district through statewide funding changes, pandemic recovery efforts, and the development of legislative priorities to support rural education.

More details on the superintendent search process will be shared as the board discusses next steps. Meanwhile, Henriksen says he’s committed to ensuring a smooth transition and a successful final year.

“There’s a lot of work yet to do, and I’m looking forward to seeing it through,” he said.