In the middle of the bustling sheep barn at the 2025 Mercer County Fair, cousins Mason Vogt and Emma DeKeyrel are proving that showing livestock is a team effort. The pair have been working closely together all week, prepping sheep and stepping into the show ring with confidence—and a lot of cousinly support.
Emma has been helping Mason manage multiple entries in the same class. “Some days I need more help than others,” Mason said. “She’s always there—whether it’s getting the sheep ready or walking one in for me.”
The two have grown up close, nearly the same age, and have always looked forward to time spent together at the fair. “I like hanging out with people and just meeting new people in general,” said Emma, who usually shows cattle but stepped into the sheep ring this year.
Mason, who will be a junior this fall, is considering a career in the trades after high school. Emma is starting her freshman year at Scott and hopes to become a sign language interpreter.