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‘Everybody likes a good show’: Barnyard contests take center stage at Williamsburg Community Farm Show

By Colette Costlow 4 min read

WILLIAMSBURG -- It was sheer madness Wednesday night at the Williamsburg Community Farm Show as kids greased themselves with Crisco to catch a pig and later geared up to ride a fluffy sheep -- all for fun, and perhaps a bit of cash if they happened to win.

Fairgoers attended the barnyard chase and the mutton busting competitions -- both back-to-back events -- at the horse show ring to either take part in the contests or to cheer from the sidelines.

Williamsburg Methodist Church minister Matthew Roberts, who signed himself up for the adult division of the barnyard chase contest, said the events give the younger generation something fun to do while drawing in a crowd.

"Everybody likes a good show," he said.

Baa Baa Background

To give everyone a fair chance at catching a young pig inside the ring, participants were divided into four groups based on their age.

Some participants in the barnyard chase made disgusted faces while lathering themselves -- up to the elbow -- using cans of shortening. Others freely ditched their shoes for the muddy surface inside the horse ring.

While the barnyard chase contest isn't new to the Williamsburg Community Farm Show, its mutton busting competition was new this week.

According to farm show secretary Angie Walason, she saw other fairs incorporate the child version of bull riding into their schedules, mentioning a boy from Somerset County who won a mutton busting rodeo championship in January 2025 held in Fort Worth, Texas.

"It's very popular at other fairs, so we thought we'd give it a try for something new," she said while wearing a pink pig hat.

Kids ages 4 to 8 were allowed to participate, with a weight range of 50 to

65 pounds, she said. Before getting on the sheep, kids were required to wear helmets and vests to avoid serious injuries.

They had about five sheep on hand that night, which came in handy when one sheep refused to return to the starting pen, so they used a backup sheep for the next contestant.

Volunteer Emma Scholl, 13, of Claysburg didn't know about mutton busting until the fair added it to this year's schedule. However, she thought the contest added a new and thrilling aspect to the annual farm show.

"Kids can have a new experience and just have a fun time," she said.

Herd mentality

Williamsburg's first mutton busting competition had a healthy turnout, with more than a dozen kids signing up on a first-come, first-served basis.

A few kids did chicken out last minute, ditching a sheep for fair rides instead. Others shed a tear or two before exiting the ring.

Shawn Simendinger, 8, originally passed on participating in the competition, as he was found with his sister on the sidelines.

"I don't want to get muddy," he said.

As the night went on, however, he changed his mind and competed after all, taking home a trophy for first place in the 8-year-old division. He wasn't sure what made him change his mind, but was pleased with the result.

Another rider, Leyton Houck, 4, felt good about riding a sheep, according to his father, Jake.

"He was good with it; he's a pretty tough kid," he said.

Jake found out about the competition Saturday after bringing their pigs to the farm show, so they both were excited about Wednesday night. But the elder Houck experienced different feelings while watching his son stay on the moving sheep.

"It makes you proud as a parent to realize that your kid is going to be a strong child," he said.

Saxton resident Brayton Dick has dreamed of participating in a mutton busting competition for as long as he can remember -- as a 5-year-old.

"It (the sheep) stepped on my hand a little bit," he said after exiting the ring.

But he agreed that he had a great time, and his parents were happy that he had fun at the farm show.

"I think it (mutton busting) gives people confidence," father Bill Dick said. "They can go out and do this; people are supporting them."

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.

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