The bounce in her pink-boot steps made Maggie Thessen's curled pigtails sway as she proudly led a lamb around the Pee Wee Show arena Thursday morning.
It was her rite of passage. At age 4, this was her first time showing an animal after watching her older sisters compete.
Excited for her first-time show, Maggie chose her entire outfit with the day in mind, including the sparkly show necklace she borrowed from her oldest sister, Addie, 15.
Her enthusiasm did not wane when she returned to the arena to show a borrowed goat, which turned out to be quite stubborn. She was determined, even when she had to resort to digging in her heels and tugging hard on the lead.
Showing livestock is a family tradition for the Thessen family, as both parents showed throughout their years in 4-H. Addie began to show seven years ago, followed by Sophie, 9.
"We help them; we don't teach them," mom Angie Thessen said. "It's something the kids have to do on their own. We think they learn best by doing it themselves."
The Pee Wee Show has been part of the Jefferson City Jaycees Fair for at least 15 years, Superintendent Misty Schroeder said.
It started with bottle calves and has developed into a variety of animals, including cats, dogs, goats, sheep, chicken, pigs, calves, donkeys, miniature horses, ducks, rabbits and guinea pigs.
"An opportunity to show in the ring is probably the biggest experience in the kids' eyes," Schroeder said. "They are able to take part in something previous generations have been doing. Most of these kids have grandparents, parents and siblings that have shown or show now."
Part of the fun is the laid-back nature, she said.
For example, 3-year-old Kambrie Kautsch spent most of her time in the arena following after her white Yorkshire pig, Charlotte, which preferred to romp and socialize rather than follow the taps of her whip.
It's also an opportunity for newcomers to try out a new experience without the concern for competition, she said.
That was the case for the Lewis family.
"We like animals, and we like the outdoors a lot," dad Lee Lewis said. "But we live in suburbia, so we can't have goats. This is what we can do."
Every year he brings his daughters, Hayley, 11, and Briana, 9, to the fair to see the animals.
This year, however, Briana participated by showing her pet guinea pig, Georgia. As she walked around the arena, many children huddled to the fence to pet the soft animal.
"This, I feel, truly is one of the best shows at the fair," Schroeder said.