LINN — For Jill Schaefer of Linn, returning to the Osage County Fair show ring brought back memories that stretched all the way to her high school days. For her daughter, Emmah Schaefer, it was the beginning of a new adventure.

Together, the pair created one of the more memorable family moments at the fair when Jill captured the Over the Hill Showmanship title while Emmah earned the Novice Showmanship award during her first year exhibiting hogs.

“Mother and daughter won together,” Jill said with a smile.

Jill, who graduated from Blair Oaks in 2009, showed beef in her younger years and then moved on to cattle, swine, sheep, and horses for a brief time.

This year’s Over the Hill competition marked her first time participating in the event. “I only did it because my son didn’t want to do novice,” she said. “I said, ‘You go out and compete against your sister, I’ll go out and compete against my brother.’”

As fate would have it, Jill and her brother, Jarred Fitzpatrick, emerged victorious. “Yep, my brother went out too,” Jill said. “She won her novice showmanship, and I won Over the Hill.”

The bragging rights may have been even sweeter because of who she beat. “Winning against my brother was the most exciting part,” Jill admitted.

Family rivalries are nothing new.

Jill laughed while recalling years of competing with Jarred.

“For years, usually if we were in the same class, I would win, and he always said it was rigged,” she said.

Despite the friendly competition, Jill said her brother’s love for livestock showing has never wavered. “He is the most into this, and he loves all about showing,” she said. “He is very excited that the next generation is going into it. He puts all the money and the time — even more than what we do — into it.”

Meanwhile, Emmah was experiencing the fair from a much different perspective. “This is my first year,” she said.

Her hog, named Cheetah, weighed 222 pounds. Although the earlier fair dates shortened the feeding period, Emmah said the animal’s size was manageable.

Wild Orchid Designs won the bid for Emma’s hog at $4.75 per pound, and she already has plans for the proceeds.

“I’m going to give some to my papa for the feed, and then I’m going to put that in the bank,” Emmah said.

Asked whether she hopes to branch out into other species, Emmah indicated she plans to stick with hogs for now.

The Schaefer family’s path to this year’s celebration has included more than ribbons and trophies. Emmah’s adoption was finalized on June 9, just before the fair began. Jill said it’s a blessing that the family has embraced wholeheartedly.

Amid the friendly rivalry that defines county fairs, Jill and Emmah were simply a mother and daughter sharing a victory few families ever experience.

And while Emmah was just beginning her showing career, Jill proved that a little experience — and perhaps a little sibling motivation — can still go a long way.