Hamburg, N.Y. (WBEN) - While livestock showmanship can be competitive and participants strive for excellence in the ring, the life lessons learned with caring and tending to their animals carry far more weight than any ribbons or trophies.
15-year-old Evelyn Matthies of East Concord is showing sheep and pigs at the 2026 Erie County Fair, and admits while she loves coming out on the winning side during competitions, it's learning and sharing the moments with her animals that matter most in the end.
"My favorite part about showing livestock is probably winning, but the other part is raising them and training them, and having the different personalities with your livestock," said Matthies shortly after showing her sheep while at the Fair on Tuesday. "Every animal is going to be different, and you're either going to get one that's kind of a butt head or you're going to get one that's amazing and is going to be your best animal. That's my favorite part about raising them."
For Matthies, the Fair is a staple of her summer in Western New York, getting the chance to not only hang with friends, but also putting forth the hard work that goes into raising livestock and showcasing her animals.
"This opportunity is huge, because a lot of people don't get to understand it and have the opportunity. So to be able to show the public what we do, the different kinds of how we do it, and the different species is really amazing because a lot of people don't get that opportunity. So it's really fun, and you learn something new every year too. So something I didn't know, I'll learn this year probably," Matthies shared with WBEN.
At this year's Erie County Fair, I was paired up with Matthies for the annual Celebrity Classic, where we showed off pigs in front of special judge Jessica Underberg, CEO of the Erie County Agricultural Society. Thanks to the tutelage of Matthies - a local 4-H member - and her pig Luna, we had the privilege of earning the honor of Reserve Grand Champion for the event.
Matthies preached a couple different important elements that makes for an important pig showing, helping us earn honors at this year's Celebrity Classic.
"It's your confidence and that you worked with your animal," she said. "A judge, especially in pigs, can tell if you worked with your animal or not, because that pig is either going to be running around the ring or that pig is going to be doing what you're asking it to do in driving. So for pigs, I would say your confidence, and pretty much that you worked with your animal. That's a big thing for pigs."
Outside of the ring, Matthies loves being able to showcase her pigs and what has brought her to this moment every August at the Fair.
"Once you have animals, you have a commitment. That commitment is huge," Matthies said. "You always have to be taking care of them, you have to make sure they're fed, they're taken care of. And especially with show animals, they have a routine. You have to be doing that routine, or you're not going to be getting what you want to get or achieving your goals. That's a big thing people don't understand."
Matthies also loves being able to showcase her work as a 4-H member, as she's learning and developing more than just livestock skills going into adulthood.
"As a 4-H member, I also do community work. We'll go around and we'll learn new things about the different communities, or we'll take people from even in the city who really don't know anything about animals, and we'll take them, show them what we do, how we do it, and pretty much they just get to learn new stuff. That's probably another favorite thing of mine," Matthies said. "And then I also do stuff like artwork - crafts, I grow flowers too. Just kind of the odds and ends, and everything's learning. That's pretty much 4-H, is to learn."
In the years to come, Matthies is hoping to take the skills and lessons she has learned as part of 4-H to make a career for herself as a veterinarian.
"Doing 4-H, doing livestock, being part of the community looks great for college. And the other thing is it's an experience of a lifetime," she added. "Once you have animals, you can never go back. For doing 4-H, you get to meet new people, you get to meet people in the industry who know everything, and you also get to learn things. That's probably what I want to take out of 4-H."
For anyone that is considering their kids joining a local 4-H program, Matthies says it's something that you and your children will not regret.
"Just do it. It's amazing, and you're going to meet a bunch of amazing and fantastic people," she said. "And you're going to learn a bunch of new stuff, and you're going to get to try new things. So I would say just go out and do it. You're always going to have a community supporting your back."
