HURON — Bill Fuller first showed sheep at the S.D. State Fair in 1950 with a mixed pair of registered Hampshire lambs named Connie and Conrad.

“We actually have the ribbons they received that year with Bill’s mother’s writing info on the back,” said Bill’s wife Jody.

On Saturday, during the Open Class Hampshire Sheep show at this year’s fair, Fuller was recognized with a plaque noting his 75 years of showing sheep at the S.D. State Fair.

Bill’s first Hampshires were originally a starter flockhe shared with his brothers called Fuller Bros. Hampshires. In 1991, Bill and Jody acquired the Hampshire flock retaining the Fuller Bros. flock name.

The number of sheep shown grew each year as the Hampshire breeding project took hold. The breed has gone thru various trends in addition to the manner in which sheep are now presented in the show ring.

Through the years, Bill’s sons and grandkids continued to show Hampshire sheep as well, often requiring two trailer loads to get all the sheep to the fairgrounds. Times change and now one lone grandson, Cash Fuller, continues to show Hampshires with Bill. The actual flock currently consists of five brood ewes for Bill and 10 brood ewes for Cash, with a new Hampshire ram added every two years.

The past several years, Bill has shown one Hampshire ewe lamb and one Hampshire ram lamb at the State Fair. The entire family puts time into getting these sheep ready for the fair. Bill is eager to be able to get back to having open class sheep shows during the actual state fair, with hopes to be able to show in the new SHED next year.

What has been referred to as the “original” sheep barn did not exist at that time, rather the sheep were shown at a facility located near the north side of the fairgrounds. It was exciting in the mid-50s when the wooden structure many of us remember as the open class sheep barn was first built and several years later several additions built to accommodate the growing numbers of sheep. There were several years when the sheep were shown in a tent on the north side of the sheep barn with sheep having to jump thru the mud puddles between the barn and the tent.

The breed has gone thru various trends in addition to the manner in which sheep are now presented in the show ring. The more seasoned showman still call the show ring prep “blocking” because in the 1950s and early ’60s, the top line was cut down and the belly wool was fluffed to resemble a block.

Bill remembers, though not fondly, the required dip tank that sheep arriving at the fair had to be submerged into in an effort to manage scabies – a nasty little mite that caused itching and wool loss. Washing the meat breeds of sheep prior to fitting was a huge change keeping in mind that sheepmen don’t adjust quickly to change.

The memories of the Fuller family, now into the 3rd and 4th generations, who have formed great friends at the fall class, as the South Dakota State Fair continues to be the culmination of summer and much of a family reunion atmosphere.