XENIA — There’s nothing like a little sibling rivalry to bring out the best in 4-H competition.

Just ask Uriah Hughes.

“I was really excited for showmanship this year because my sister (Odessa) has been doing 4-H (but) she stopped doing it this year,” Hughes said. “She was better than me at showmanship. I was always getting second, she was always getting first. I was so excited because this year I knew I finally was going to get a chance to get first place.”

And he did.

Hughes won an intermediate class packed with talented showmen during the poultry showmanship Tuesday at the Greene County Fair.

But it wasn’t easy, Odessa or not.

“One of the things I’m most embarrassed about, I know the right and wrong way to put my chicken in,” Hughes said. “I did the wrong way. I wasn’t thinking at first. I messed up in a couple places … I was hoping I could make that up.”

Thanks to some late cramming, he was able to.

“One thing I blew out of the water was the origin of the Welsummer,” Hughes said. “They’ve always asked me the origin of the species. I’ve never known. So I did a last minute-minute study while they were in the senior (division). I just got super lucky.”

The Welsummer is a dutch breed with a partridge feather pattern and a rich brown egg color. (Yes, this writer had to look that up too.)

Hughes had a chance to relax after the showmanship as his week was finished, at last where competition is concerned. He showed all his entries Tuesday and cleaned up. In addition to the showmanship, he won grand champion with his pullets and also won a trophy for winning his class. Hughes was also fair poultry royalty.

“I had a really good fair,” he said.

Andie Pippin was second in showmanship, followed by Samuel Katter, Ella Simmons, and Emma Katter.

— The showmanship competition is a crap-shoot for most competitors, including Cassidy Brown, a member of Jamestown Junior Farmers, who to her surprise won the senior division.

“I was like, that’s just crazy. I’m shocked. It’s just a lot of stuff (to learn) because you never know what your judge is going to ask you,” she said. “I’ve had judges ask meat parts and different parts of the bird.”

Brown — who will attend the Greene County Career Center to study veterinary science — was fifth last year and knew what she needed to do to prepare for this year.

“I definitely did look over my wing parts a little bit better this year,” she said. “Overall what helped me a lot was handling my bird. I think that was the main thing.”

She knew to put her expedition duck in the pen head first, pull it out head first, and show the wing properly.

“I figured that most of the things he asked he was going to ask,” Brown said.

— Liam Sharrett won the junior class, followed by Kailyn Bowers, Abby Clelan, Cole Britton, and Lily Redman.

— River Demmy-Stover won the novice class, which consisted of first-time entrants regardless of age. Callan Spracklen was second, Jaxson Wheeler was third, Samantha Jenkins was fourth, and Kayla Katter was fifth.

Reach Scott Halasz at 937-502-4507.