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ALGONA -Months of hard work and care are paying off as 4-H'ers get their opportunity to shine at the Kossuth County Fair.

For Matt Grein, of Wesley, a week at the fair means helping to care for and show is older brother and sister's sheep. Although the 9-year-old isn't quite old enough to join 4-H, he said he likes to spend time in the barns checking out the livestock.

"I help with our sheep," he said. "But I like to look at the pigs and the rabbits too."

Grein joined 10-year-old Matthew Thul, of Whittemore, in the swine barn Friday afternoon where the two kept themselves entertained by watching older 4-H and FFA members prepare and bathe their hogs for the swine show.

"They're like monsters," said Thul as he watched a 4-H'er coax a somewhat aggressive pig out of its pen to be bathed.

Grein agreed.

"It's a big old beast," he said.

Nick Scott, of Algona, was happy to get a little wet on a humid afternoon at the fair. With hoses, a scrub brush and a bottle of dish soap, the 12-year-old was ready to tackle the job of washing his market heifer, which stood just a bit taller than he did.

He said washing the heifer is a regular part of preparing for shows.

"I clip her, wash her a lot and make her fur stand up," he said. "It's hard work, but fun."

Scott's work paid off when the heifer took third place in her class earlier in the week. He said he is also the first member of his family to show cattle.

"I'm the first to farm and show in my family," he said. "It's something to do, and I just love it."

When he completed his task for the day, Scott had given himself quite a workout.

"I'm a little sore now," he said.

The Kossuth County Fair continues through Sunday at the fairgrounds located on the south edge off Algona just off U.S. Highway 169.

Contact Emilie Nelson at (515)573-2141 or enelson@messengernews.net