By Ben Shanahan

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Perhaps to escape dozens of screaming, laughing children trying to catch them.

The Wood County Fair held its annual Chicken and Lamb scramble for kids ages 0 to 13 on Sunday at the grandstands.

By far the most aggressive catcher was 11-year-old Abbagail English from Rudolph, who charged the lamb and tackled it to the ground.

“I have been catching animals for several years now, so my first move is to run, grab their heads, and wrap them with legs while I get the halter on,” she said. “Unfortunately, the halter got messed up because I was fiddling with it. This is my second year competing in something I have been doing my whole life.”

Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune

After all three heats competed in the older division, the three winners competed to see who was the Grand Champion. This year’s winner was 12-year-old Blake Euler, who was competing in his first ever scramble competition.

“My strategy for going in there was to grab them by the back legs, get the lamb under me, and then start working the halter on his head,” he said. “I have been catching animals like lambs for eight years, and this is my first time competing. I am very happy I won.”

Blake Euler, 12, Tontogany, center. looks up after putting a halter onto the lamb that he caught to win the championship heat of the Lamb Scramble.

Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune

The event was hosted by State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, and Wood County Auditor Matt Oestreich — an event they had so much fun doing together last year they had to come back.

“Matt and I had the great fortune of emceeing the event last year as well. It was a great opportunity. We were both over supporting the final champion sale today, and we left early there to make it here. Lots of energy and laughter from the kids, but most importantly, tons of support from the hometown crowd. Overall, a great week for the 150th Wood County Fair,” Ghanbari said.

“I was an exhibitor as a kid; now my kids are exhibitors. I had the great fortune of having my daughter named this year’s fair queen, so we have been here all week, and it has been a great fair,” Oestreich said.

The first heats of the day were ages 10 and under catching chickens, which saw countless kids chasing the flightless birds till all were caught. There was all kinds of fun and entertainment at this year’s scramble, including a chicken escaping the pen and being chased at the bottom of the grandstands before being put back in the cage.

Once the chickens were all caught, kids ages 11-13, made their best attempt at catching lambs.

After Oestrich explained how to use the harness and catch them, all three of the heats took turns trying to be the fastest. The fastest in each heat won $50.

Contestants chase after a lamb during the second heat of the Lamb Scramble.

Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune

Contestants chase after a lamb during the second heat of the Lamb Scramble.

Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune