BERRIEN SPRINGS — Do you know whether kittens or cats need a higher calorie diet? Do you know the gestation period for a cat?

Take specialized questions like these and apply them to a dogs, poultry and chickens. Then correctly handle each animal, pointing out how its specific anatomical parts make it a candidate, or not, as an ideal representation of the species. Do this in front of an audience and judges, who are experts on their respective animals.

The person that knows each animal best wins.

Paige McKean, of Niles, completed all of these steps as part of the Small Animal Showmanship Sweepstakes Friday at the Berrien County Youth Fair.

McKean, a Niles High School senior, was one of four competitors. She came in third, behind reserve champion Sydney Melton, of Baroda, and grand champion Ross Clare, of Sodus. Ericka Zandarski, of Three Oaks, took fourth.

Despite the competition’s small size, its competitors were among the best of the fair’s exhibitors. Each won grand champion in their respective animal showmanship categories.

McKean’s specialty is dogs. She won champion of senior class showmanship with her dog, Custard — “like the pudding,” she said.

Then, McKean went on to compete for and win grand champion of dog showmanship against the champions and reserve champions from each class of dog showmanship.

Her win qualified her for the Small Animal Showmanship Sweepstakes.

McKean won grand champion on Tuesday. The unexpected win gave her two full days, other competitions aside, to study up on the handling, anatomies and general information on cats, chickens and rabbits.

She said she did well in the dog portion of the competition. While she and her three rivals only worked with one cat, rabbit and chicken, they each had to work with four dogs.

The questions and patterns were simpler than the dog showmanship finale, she said. She also benefited from having to handle other competitors’ dogs in dog showmanship.

“A lot of people today had problems with keeping them standing and troubles with identifying body parts,” McKean said after the sweepstakes. “So, study the dog. It’s really important for showing.”

When it came to the three other animals, however, other competitors outperformed McKean in their respective animal groups.

Clare, who was grand champion in rabbit showmanship, efficiently turned the provided rabbit over to point out body parts to the judge. Zandarski, who was grand champion in poultry showmanship, correctly placed the provided rooster in his cage.

While Clare took first place, McKean was happy with her third-place performance.

She was even happier about her week’s winnings with Custard, a Tibetan terrier.

“I like working with my dog,” she said. “The dog always loves being in the ring. He likes to show off. To see him happy is very fulfilling.”

The pair also won grand champion in obedience, handling and agility, despite having a distraction in the audience.

“He’s attached to my mom, so it’s hard to work with him when she’s present,” McKean said.

Unlike other showmanship exhibitors, McKean said she spends all year working with her longtime fair companion, rather than a summer.

“It’s just a lot of time practicing with him every day,” she said. “I usually do half an hour a day.”

If McKean’s college education does not interfere with competitions, the high school senior intends to continue training with Custard for next year’s competition.