Editor's note: This is another story in a series leading up to the Chelsea Community Fair in August.

Jordan Holton, 10, is learning that she shouldn’t pet her lamb or put jewelry on it when she’s showing on Aug.23 at the upcoming Chelsea Community Fair .

Jamie was one of about a dozen members of the Chelsea-Dexter Lamb Club who attended the last practice session at the Chelsea Fairgrounds last week.

Experienced members of the club, Ryan Koenn, 17, and Coty Bentley, 14, helped the younger members with their showmanship skills offering pointers before they lead their lambs into the ring.

“Remember, the judge is always watching you - even before you walk in the ring,” Greg McKenzie, one of the two lamb superintendents, told the youth. “Be ready to show the moment you walk in the ring. But remember, the judge may be forming an opinion while he or she is standing around talking to us before you walk through the gate.”

Koenn told the younger showmen to always stay on the opposite side of their lamb from the judge when in the ring.

“You’ll walk in and go in a big circle, so leave space between you and the person in front of you and walk slowly. And when you set up your lamb, sent him up square; have the front and back feet aligned.”

McKenzie told the club members to practice with their lambs at home so that both of them are ready to stand before judges.

Both McKenzie and Jerry Kuhl, another lamb superintendent, told the youngsters to set their lamb up and keep an eye on the judge at all times.

Once the instructions were given, the younger members had a chance to try their hand at walking and setting up three sheep that Koenn brought for a practice session.

“It was pretty hard,” Reid Schneider, 7, said of working with a lamb that wasn’t his own. “My lambs are easier to handle, but I’ve been working with them.”

Kara O’Day, 9, said she learned how to move the sheep's feet and set them up while Emily Trinkle, 7, said she learned how to better control a lamb.

The superintendents suggested that the younger exhibitors watch what the older ones do in the ring and see what the judge will expect of them before it’s their time to show. The more experienced showman always compete before the younger ones.

Koenn reminded them to wear jeans and a shirt with a collar. No hats and wear boots. “Be sure to wash your lamb - even its ears - and shear it.”

“Know where the parts of your lamb are because the judge might ask you about them,” McKenzie told the youth and gave them a handout with all the parts of a sheep marked on it.

The superintendents reminded the exhibitors that the results at the fair were one judge’s opinion on that day. “Don’t get mad at your lamb or get frustrated,” if it misbehaves.

“Don’t get flustered or upset. The lamb will know and get upset,” McKenzie said.

And of course, have fun.

The Chelsea Fair runs from Aug. 23-27 at the fairgrounds at Old US-12 at Old Manchester Road. For a schedule of events, click here.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Chelsea stories, visit our Chelsea page. For more Dexter stories, visit our Dexter page.