HARRINGTON, Del.- Sheep and lamb showings took center stage at the Delaware State Fair this week, but two lambs from Camden didn't make the cut for competition.
The owner of the lambs thinks state fair officials made the wrong call, but other exhibitors said it had to be done.
Ten-year-old Adalyn Lyon has been working with animals since she was only 2, and has been caring for a pair of male and female lambs all year in preparation for the state fair.
However, the lambs fell out of a livestock trailer on their way to Harrington Saturday morning.
They sustained visible injures to their heads, which ultimately disqualified them from the lamb showing on Tuesday.
Adalyn's mom, Ashley Lyon, thinks the state fair is being unfair.
"The fair said we needed to remove them because they are an eye sore," she claimed.
State Fair officials tell WBOC the decision to disqualify stems from a recommendation from Delaware's State Veterinarian. Officials also noted a potential risk of infection due to open wounds.
Although, Ashley said her personal veterinarian gave the lambs the go ahead to participate.
"Our vet said that it was a minor road rash and I have the paperwork to prove it," she said. "They were cleared to show and it was nothing more than some scratches."
Ashley said if she believed the animals were in distress she would not be pushing for them to be included.
"There is no one that would advocate for my daughter's animals more than me and if they needed to go home they would have instantly," she said.
WBOC spoke with other sheep and lamb exhibitors at the State Fair, and there was a consensus among them: rules are rules.
They said the guidelines must be strict, as the the sheep and lambs serve as livestock intended for consumption.
