MOSES LAKE—Two brothers left with a few Grand Championship titles at the Grant County Fair. Eli Ahmann, 15, and his brother, Zach, 12, won several categories in FFA for breeding heifer and lambs. Eli took the Grand Championship prize for a breeding red Rhone heifer, and Zach won Grand Champion for the Skyline 4-H Club intermediate showmanship lamb and overall Reserve Grand Champion for a prospect lamb.

Genetics play a big role in raising champion livestock, but also a lot of work and commitment to raising the animals. 

“Every day in the morning, we feed it, and work with it,” said Eli. “And at night, we wash it and comb the hair to grow it.”

The champion short horn red heifer was purchased online from a ranch in Hixton, Wisconsin, he said.

Matt, the father of the two boys, said Eli started showing lambs eight years ago and developed from there, showing more interest when he attended the fair. 

 “You evolve a little bit as a showman, and was ready to take the next step,” he said. “Cattle are quite a bit more of an investment financially, but also with the workload.”

Matt said his primary role was exposing the boys to livestock and the environment to raise them. 

“Helping behind the scenes, and getting the ball rolling, so that they can see if it spikes their interest, and what they want to do with it,” he said. “We have a little girl who is 8, and she’s just dead set on showing a pig, so that’s where her interest has taken her.”

Eli was the FFA Grand Champion for showmanship for his lamb, along with his champion heifer, and said he was confident coming into the fair. 

“Because we put in a lot of time and effort,” he said. Four and five hours a day, he said, is needed to develop a champion, and he put in that time while playing on a traveling basketball team in Spokane, along with schoolwork. 

“He spent the whole summer travelling across the country,” Matt said. “He’s been to California three times, South Carolina, and Arizona. So, it was a little tricky this summer. And then with a brand-new baby, he’s been a busy brother.” 

As for Zach’s Grand Champion lambs, he reiterated his brother’s sentiment about the work needed to raise a champion lamb. 

“It’s a lot of hard work and effort and a lot of time,” he said. “Multiple hours a week, and focus, and hard work and staying consistent.”

Not only great genetics, but quality grain and exercise go into the development of a champion. Next up are the champion lambs. 

“We are going to take it and breed it and go to other fairs,” said Zach. “And the market lamb will eventually end up on someone’s dinner plate.”

Matt said they have a three-acre farm, and his father grew up on a farm, and he has participated in 4-H with dairy heifers and sheep and beef.

“4-H is very generational,” he said. “I think the people that are blessed with the opportunity to do it; really see the value in it. So, they have their kids do it.” 

As for Eli’s heifer champion, he plans to take her to the Othello Fair to show and afterwards breed and raise its calves.  

Matt said they look to raise some more heifers and lambs in the future. 

“We have like 10 grading ewes at home, so they actually raise the lambs from birth,” he said. “And then she’s our only heifer, and we are just getting into that. We’ll probably get a couple more and breed them and see if we can make some pretty babies like her.”

    Eli Ahmann with his Grand Champion breeding red Rhone heifer.