ISA will host sheep-themed educational opportunities and competitions at Indiana State Fair

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — In addition to 4-H and open sheep shows, the Indiana Sheep Association (ISA) is sponsoring sheep-themed competitions, vendors and educational opportunities at this year’s Indiana State Fair, with additional support from the Indiana Sheep and Wool Market Development Program (IN S&W).

Learn all about sheep, purchase woolen products and try Indiana lamb at these events that are open to the public:

• The Wool and Ewe Room — Duration of the fair, Blue Ribbon Pavilion
• Ewe2 boutique — Duration of the fair, between the Indiana Farmers Coliseum and the Pop Weaver Youth Pavilion
• Open wool judging and wool sale — Aug. 2 at 10 a.m., Blue Ribbon Pavilion
• Make It With Wool (MIWW) competition — Aug. 4 at 2 p.m., Indiana Arts Building, third floor
• Indiana State Fair Shearing Contest — Aug. 4 at 5 p.m., Ball State University Champions Pavilion
• Taste from Indiana Farms — Aug. 8-11 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion
• Sheep to Shawl competition — Aug. 18 at 10 a.m., Indiana Arts Building, performance floor

“ISA is proud to bring the spirit of our industry to the fair, and this year we will bring it in the theme of ‘Art and Nature,’ showcasing sheep-related art from Indiana artists in the Blue Ribbon Pavilion,” said Jane Smith, ISA president.

To suit the state fair’s overall theme, ISA reached out to Indiana artists to depict sheep in their art. One artist, Laura Winslow, donated copies of her sheep paintings to ISA, which printed the paintings into stickers and magnets that will be handed out to 4-H winners and showcased in the Blue Ribbon Pavilion.

For the duration of the fair, the Wool and Ewe Room and Ewe2 boutique will be open all day and will offer fairgoers Indiana-grown wool items, livestock- and country-themed clothing, jewelry, gifts, and more. On Aug. 2 at 10 a.m., the space will also host open wool judging, where spectators can learn more about wool, hear judges’ comments and ask questions.

The MIWW competition and fashion show will take place Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. in the Indiana Arts Building. Competitors will show off their handmade wool entries during the fashion show and awards announcements. Later that day at 5 p.m., the shearing contest will feature professionals and amateurs shearing sheep back-to-back and competing for the best timing, handling and accuracy.

From Aug. 8-11 at 11 a.m.-6 p.m., fairgoers can sample lamb, provided by the IN S&W checkoff and ISA, for free at the Taste from Indiana Farms event in the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion.

On Aug. 18 at 10 a.m., attendees can witness the annual Sheep to Shawl competition, when youth teams rush to finish a wool shawl from scratch. Teams card the wool, spin it into yarn and weave it into a pattern, all in a four-hour time frame.

Sheep can be found in the Blue Ribbon Pavilion from Aug. 4-20 for open and 4-H shows. For a more detailed schedule of when you can see sheep at the fair, check the 2024 Indiana State Fair Livestock Schedule. 

About ISA

The Indiana Sheep Association is one of the oldest livestock organizations in Indiana. It was originally founded as the Indiana Wool Growers Association in 1876 to encourage local shepherds to come together to share ideas and expertise, to promote lamb and wool in the state, and to educate our communities about the value of sheep and the sheep industry.

About IN S&W

The Indiana Sheep and Wool Market Development Program was created to support educational, promotional and research efforts involving sheep in Indiana. Funds for the council are collected from the sale of all sheep in Indiana — 0.5% of the net market price of each sheep sold. All funds collected by stockyards, sale managers, producers and others should be sent to the council’s business office at Purdue. See https://indianasheep.com/checkoff.php for more information. 

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives. 

Writer: Emma O’Brien, executive@indianasheep.com

Media contact: Olivia De Young, odeyoung@purdue.edu

Source: Emma O’Brien, executive@indianasheep.com

Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu

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