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Kids learn responsibility by showing animals at Fair

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At 8 a.m. Monday morning at the Laclede County Fairgrounds, just a few livestock folks were there, tending their soon-to-be-shown animals on what was already a hot July day. Fair veteran Haley Bakeberg, 17, of Lebanon, was there with her four dorpers, a breed of sheep native to South Africa, a cross between a Dorset head and the Blackhead Persian. Bakeberg has been showing animals at the fair since the fifth grade. This is her fourth year of showing dorpers, With their short hair, her three rams and one ewe are often mistaken for goats. “There are wool sheep and hair sheep. These are hair sheep. The hair sheep will grow wool during winter and during summer, especially with them because the wool is white and will protect them from getting sunburned,” Bakeberg said. Brutus, her oldest at two years old, is a former Reserve Grand Champion Ram, about 200 pounds and a head butt expert when he wants more food. For this fair, he is joined by Romeo, one year old, Bolt, two months old, and Sweet Pea, a year old ewe. For more on this story see Wednesday's LCR.