9-year-old talks raising sheep, her ‘psycho’ lamb and competing at Fort Worth Stock Show
The youngest participants at the annual Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo can be spotted in the mutton bustin’ event, where children ages 4-7 hold on to running sheep for as long as they can without falling off. And while this youth event is nonetheless entertaining, the stakes are raised a little higher once these children reach the age to join their local 4-H club, where they can show livestock.
Rayleigh Whitt, 9, was showing sheep rather than riding them last weekend on Sunday, Jan. 26.
In a large, red-fenced show ring in Arena 1 at Will Rogers Memorial Center, Raleigh and her fellow competitors led their livestock in circles, showing off the various profiles of their ewe lambs, a young female sheep. The majority of their coats had been sheared except for the “legwarmers” keeping part of their limbs dressed. Rayleigh sported the most glittery get-up among her peers, with a sparkly hair bow, boots and belt to complement her pinkish-orange shirt and blue jeans.
Although it was not her first time showing a sheep, it was her first time competing specifically at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo with her ewe lamb, Cali. At age 9, almost 10, she’s among the youngest groups of children who are learning the responsibilities of caring, feeding and grooming livestock for show. Youth can join 4-H programs starting at age 8, but local guidelines require exhibitors to be at least 9 years old to show ewe lambs like Cali, according to Rayleigh’s mom, Eternity Adams.
Rayleigh, who is part of Kaufman County’s 4-H program, traveled about 90 miles from southeast of Dallas to show her sheep after just a couple of months of preparation. During Rayleigh’s event, the judge emphasized how the group of sheep were “probably the deepest set of sheep, in terms of the most number of high-quality sheep that I’ve seen today.”
“I really appreciate the quality that y’all brought today. Certainly in different county fairs and probably even other state fairs, some of these sheep could probably be winning some big ribbons and banners,” the judge said, referring to a handful of sheep that included Cali.
Although Rayleigh didn’t place this time, she agrees with her grandpa, Samuel Adams, and mom that the emphasis is on the learning experience and applying it to the next show. It’s also important to note that one judge’s opinion can differ from another‘s.
“That’s part of the learning process. This year we’re really not worried about her placing. Of course that’d be nice, but at the same time, it was more for the experience,” Eternity Adams said.
Rayleigh is a third-generation stock show competitor, following the footsteps of her mom and maternal grandpa while also being mentored by Samuel Adams, her stepdad’s father, according to her mom. Eternity Adams showed two pigs and a steer during her junior and senior years of high school.
“It makes me extremely happy to know that that’s something that she also takes joy in and gives her a sense of responsibility,” Eternity Adams said. “It makes me super proud of her to know that she’s actually enjoying doing something that we all enjoyed.”
Rayleigh said she felt excited and nervous before going into the show ring, and then felt confident once she and Cali got inside it. Cali, though, got skittish once the judge approached her. Rayleigh plans to continue practicing techniques with Cali that teach her to be more comfortable around people while keeping Cali’s “big personality” in check.
“It’s up to the judge, what they think of the sheep. But if there’s something I could do better in my standard, I need to get her more used to people touching her and her getting used to all the loud noises,” Rayleigh said.
“She’s psycho, let’s just say that,” Rayleigh added unjokingly.
When asked about her overall experience of raising Cali and her other sheep, Eclipse, Rayleigh said it wasn’t easy. But she was still proud of herself for continually improving with every show she competes in.
Samuel Adams, Rayleigh’s grandpa and mentor who teaches agricultural sciences at his local high school, said he’s focused on staying hands-off once he shows Rayleigh how to do certain tasks and asks her to explain why she’s doing them. Patience comes out of that learning process.
“That’s the thing about this age. They want it to be right the first time,” he said. “I tell her all the time, ‘Look, baby, this is your first year. If this was your senior year, we might be having a different conversation, but this is your first year. Meaning, I want you to have a good time… Let’s go and travel around and go to places that you don’t normally get to go to every day.”
Kate Marshall, a county extension agent with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension who oversees Tarrant’s 4-H clubs, said she also raised sheep as a young 4-H-er and found them to be more manageable for younger ages rather than a large steer due to their size. Before joining 4-H, children can also get a taste of caring for animals such as chickens and rabbits through the Clover Kids program — tailored to kindergarten through second-graders.
“Especially with those animal projects, those really teach responsibility. Because it might have been cold out last week — it was 20 degrees. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t go out to the barn and make sure that that animal has water and feed,” Marshall said. “They don’t take time off.”
Looking forward, Rayleigh said she’s undecided on whether she’ll stick with livestock shows long-term or if she’ll raise other kinds of animals. What she does know is that she wants to be a singer when she grows up, naming pop star Olivia Rodrigo as her favorite singer right now.
Although Rayleigh has a strong support system with relatives who have agricultural backgrounds, her grandpa wants Rayleigh to build an educational foundation rather than make any long-term commitments to a life in agriculture.
“I’m more concerned about them just being knowledgeable. I don’t plan for her to become a woman in agriculture. If she decides that down the road, that’s her business. It’s more along the lines of just her having a knowledge base,” Samuel Adams said.
The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo continues through Feb. 8.
This story was originally published January 28, 2025 at 1:10 PM.
