For this year’s Cass County Fair, Maddie Yuhas has a simple goal in mind — to win “Best Overall” in the lamb, pig and steer categories.

Judging by her performance on Monday, she may be able to pull of her personal “triple crown.”

Yuhas, 13, of Cassopolis, took home the trophy as Grand Champion in this year’s Youth Sheep Show, held Monday morning during the first full day of fair activities. It’s the first time she’s ever received first place for one of her animals, she said.

“I felt very confident about this year,” she said. “One of my goals this year was to win this showing.”

Yuhas, a member of the Legacy 4-H club, had taken home runner-up for her sheep in previous years, she said. For this year’s fair, though, she was determined to break that streak and stand on top of the heap.

“I was always the bridesmaid, and never the bride,” she said. “I told everyone that this year, I was going to be the bride.”

The Cassopolis girl has been showing sheep at the fair since she was five years old, she said. She spends around 60 hours a week taking care of her animals every summer, preparing them for the weeklong fair.

“Winning here shows that all your hard work pays off in the end,” Yuhas said.

Supporting her in the stands were members of her family, including her mother, Cassie Conrod; her aunt, Barbie Starr; her uncle, Scott Hartsell; and her grandmother, Doris Hartsell. The teenager said that the family always makes it out to the show arena to give lend their support.

“We do this as a family ever year,” her mother said. “It’s like a vacation for all of us.”

Although it’s still years off, Yuhas said she would like to pursue a career as a veterinarian after she graduates from high school, so she can continue working with large farm animals even after her 4-H days are behind her.

Taking home second place at Monday’s sheep showing was another Cassopolis teenager, Cameron Hayden. A member of the Country Crew 4-H club, this is the second year in a row that Hayden has shown sheep during the fair.

“They’re pretty fun to show, and pretty easy too,” he said.

Hayden will also be showing horses, hogs and cattle later this week, he said.

Graduating from Ross Beatty in the spring, the local FFA president will be moving to Lansing in the fall, where he will attend Lansing Community College while also serving as a regional vice president for the state FFA organization. Despite the hectic schedule in store for him, he said he would like to continue showing animals in future fairs.