Having worked toward becoming a veterinarian since she was 3, when she started pulling lambs, 10-year-old Sadie Wentz already has a head start on some of her less-industrious peers. She’s the proud owner of 13 Suffolk-Hampshire Cross sheep, a 900-pound steer, and two dogs, and is responsible for everything from delivering baby lambs to treating sick animals (sometimes in the middle of the night!) at the family’s Rapidan farm.
Her efforts have earned her some awards, too. In last year’s 4H competition, she won Outstanding Junior Exhibitor, Second Overall Novice Showman, and she competed for a Grand Champion title after winning her class with one of
her lambs.
But it’s not about competitions. Said her dad, Brian, “It’s about the animals and the bond they share—the friendships, the experience.” And, it sounds like, it’s about getting a head start on a promising future. Owning two lambs has taught her about bookkeeping, buying feed and supplies, and general money management.
“Her sheep flock is how she’ll fund her education,” Brian said. Sadie’s already started looking at colleges. Virginia Tech and North Carolina are currently in the running.
