Years of showing animals has paid off for Niles’ Trent George.

The Ring Lardner Middle School student was named the champion showman in the swine, sheep and beef shows through the first three days of the fair, making him one of the most decorated showmen the fair has ever seen.

“It all worked out this year. All of my animals were good and gave me a chance,” the 13-year-old said.

The success does not come without hard work.

George, who is in his eighth year at the Berrien County Youth Fair, said he spends several hours a night in preparation for the fair. The work includes feeding and rinsing the animals, before practicing showmanship with them in the yard.

“It is a lot of time at home. Three or four hours a night every night for most of the summer,” he said. “Practicing is important so they are used to it when they come to the show.”

George said the judge looks for an animal with a clean appearance that behaves and stands still in the show arena. Showmen also have to know which way to position the animal depending on where the judge is.

“You have to practice that, too,” he said.

George won with a steer named Dynamite, a lamb named Duramax and a pig named Bulldozer.

Bulldozer was “agitated” by the hot weather on the day of the swine show, so George sprayed him down beforehand.

“He really didn’t want to go. He was tired and hot,” he said.

Despite his three showmanship wins, George will not be in Saturday’s large animal showmanship sweepstakes, which asks youth to show each of the large animals to determine the best overall showman of the fair. Competitors must be in the senior age group to compete.