WEST LIBERTY, Iowa — Both Sean Mears and his dog Gumbo had a good day Wednesday at the Muscatine County Fair.

Mears won showmanship in his age group and Gumbo took first place in his category of the trail obstacle course competition in the FFA/4-H Dog Show. There were 15 other competitors.

Mears, 13, of Wapello, said raising Gumbo, a 3-year-old Australian Shepherd, to become a winner in obedience and handling took lots of practice.

“We do practice once a week at (obedience) class and then we work a lot at home, too,” said Mears who got involved with dog handling because he is a member of the Homegrown Helpers 4-H club.

After all of the training, Mears has conditioned Gumbo to sit with a light tug of the leash and lay down when he points to the ground and says “down.” Gumbo will stay if Mears puts his hand up for him to stop.

Before the training Gumbo used to be a wild little puppy. Mears had to pull down on his leash to get him to lie down, push down on his bottom to make him sit and holler a lot to get him to stay.

Tiffany Tomlin, 11, of the Stampeding Clovers 4-H Club, said she understands it takes practice to accomplish what Mears has. Her dog Harley, a 1-year-old schnauzer, is still in the beginner’s class but in two years she hopes to achieve top scores in tougher classes.

“This was his first time competing,” Tomlin said. “He sat and stayed like he was supposed to.”

Tomlin and Harley won first place in the junior division of handling competition. She also took first in pre-novice obedience.

“We practice every day,” Tomlin said. “I have to put his leader on and take him out in the yard a lot to get him to this point.”

Details

Muscatine County Fair FFA/4-H Dog Show first-place winners

- Pre-novice obedience A: Anna Brooks

- Pre-novice obedience B: Tiffany Tomlin

- Novice obedience: Becca Ross

- Graduate novice obedience: John Brooks

- Novice handling: Anna Brooks

- Junior handling : Tiffany Tomlin

- Intermediate handling: Rebecca Ness

- Senior handling: Kally Boyer

- Trail competition - 1st and 2nd year: Sean Mears

- Trail competition - 3rd year: Rachel Ness

- Showmanship: Natalie Grunder - grades 4-6;  Sean Mears - grades 7-8; Lindsay Stecher - grades 9-12