CONNOQUENESSING TWP — About 30 competitors of all ages exhibited their sheep in the lead line contest Tuesday afternoon.

Participants led their sheep around the show ring while modeling an outfit made of at least 70 percent wool.

Entrants were not required to own their sheep, but the animal had to be part of a 4-H or FFA project.

Autumn Crawford, 2, of Fenelton borrowed her sheep, Lightning, from her cousins, Amanda and Katelyn Shuler, who also led their own sheep in the competition.

Autumn's mother, Adele Shuler, participated in lead line for eight years as a youth, showing off sheep raised at the family's farm.

Her father, Carl, still operates the farm today and has about 200 head of sheep, Shuler said.

She and her sister, Carol Shuler, mother of Amanda and Katelynn, grew up taking care of sheep.

"We raised the sheep from when they were babies and even helped deliver some of them," Adele Shuler said.

She remembers the 1982 farm show, when she won her age group in the lead line competition.

Carol Shuler also took part in lead line.

"She and I used to compete against each other," Adele Shuler said, adding that there were never any hard feelings. "We just had a good time. We were just happy to get in there."

Adele Shuler said it felt good to be back at the farm show with her sister and their daughters.

"It makes you proud, just to be part of the farm show again," she said.

Autumn seemed hesitant as she walked Lightning around the ring, but then spotted her nine-month-old sister, Anna, in the crowd and brightened up.

"If [Anna] was walking, we'd have her in it," Shuler said. "Next year, she'll be with her sister."

Rebecca Frazier, 11, of Center Township borrowed Caesar Augustus, a sheep belonging to her cousin, Nathan Patton, for the competition.

Frazier said she was little nervous, but the show went well, considering it was her first time in lead line.

Her outfit required some extra creativity, since her gray wool skirt was cut down from an adult-sized garment.

Her mother, Donna, helped her craft with a matching headband and purse from the leftover fabric.

"Getting to the show was rewarding because we put so much effort into it," Rebecca said. "And in the end, it turned out good."

A lot of work goes into raising sheep, said Erica Shultheis, 16, of Butler, who won second place in her age group.

She and her 17-year-old brother, Shane, each have two sheep at home.

"We buy them from local farms and raise them from when they're little," she said.

Her sheep, Betsy Lou, was born in February. Erica Shultheis said she likes raising sheep because they all have a lot of personality.

"I think it's a lot of fun," she said. "They're very playful and loud."

Brooklyn Peters, 6, of Connoquenessing also took a shine to raising sheep. This year's lead line event was her first.

"She saw last year's show and just watched in awe," said her grandmother, Barbara Rader. "She always liked the sheep."

Brooklyn said she loved to help take care of her sheep, Justin, who she borrowed from a family friend.

"I helped him take a bath, and I walked him," she said, but she thought that feeding him was the most fun.

Her mother, Lona, took part in lead line as a child and enjoyed watching Brooklyn walk her sheep around the ring this year.

"It's fun, it really brings back memories," she said.

Rader made Brooklyn's dress for the event.

The wool is more than 80 years old and once belonged to an aunt. The button eyes on the lamb face appliqué originally came from a relative's WWII uniform shirt.

"I hoped that one of my kids or grandkids would use it one day," Rader said of the old wool.

The farm show runs through Saturday on Route 68 west of Butler.