Evan and Norman debut at sheep show

As older 4-H and FFA members paraded their lambs through the show arena for judging Thursday afternoon, Evan Murphey stood patiently on the sidelines with his bottle-fed lamb Norman.

Orphaned after birth, 2-month-old Norman was bottle fed and cared for by Evan in preparation for their fair debut; Evan is in Clover kids and was showing for the first time.

Evan and his twin sisters Jayden and Jewelianna, 6, have been Clover Kids members for two years. This is the first year Evan has been eligible to show livestock. Clover Kids may show animals at the fair prior to the year they enter 4-H; however, they are not held to the same judging standards, and they do not keep livestock at the fair like 4-H members do.

Although he struggled to get the harness on Norman and needed some help with that, his parents both had high praise for the independence Evan has shown in caring for his lamb.

?He?s been the one to take care of him,? Evan?s dad Curtis Murphey said, pride in his voice. ?He?s fed him, worked with him. He?s done it all.?

If Evan was nervous at all, it didn?t show in his wide, beaming smile as he entered the arena with Norman in tow, and he answered livestock judge Doug Mounce?s questions with ease. When asked why he named his lamb Norman, Evan said, ?Because I just thought it would nice to have a lamb named Norman.?

?You don?t need a better reason than that,? Mounce replied.

?I don?t think Evan was nervous,? his mom Patricia Murphey said, acknowledging that showing for the first time might be somewhat unnerving for a child. ?He really seems to just be enjoying it.?

While it?s hard to say if Norman was enjoying it, too, the lamb cooperated and didn?t put up a fight.

When asked why it was important to her that her children participate in Clover Kids and 4-H, Evan?s mom said she wanted them to be exposed to the rural concepts and values she missed out on growing up.

?I know nothing about these things,? she said. ?I was raised in the city. I want them to know more than I do.?

Both Curtis and Patricia believe their children have benefited from being in the organization.

?They?re learning how to be nice to an animal and to show appreciation for other forms of life,? Curtis said.

?They?re learning responsibility, discipline, and they?re learning to care for something other than themselves,? Patricia echoed.

The Murpheys live on two acres near the Fairfield Muncipal Airport that they share with a menagerie of pets including two horses, a duck, two dogs, a kitten, a pregnant cat, and of course, Norman.

?Norman?s our first lamb,? said Patricia. ?We?re all really fond of him.?