Teen shows lamb path to success

At first, Secret the lamb didn’t like wheelchairs.

She tried to flee. She fell to the ground and played dead.

But on Thursday, Secret was one of the calmest lambs in the ring at the Junior Livestock Show.

She was led by Medical Lake High School sophomore Derek Turner, who has muscular dystrophy and uses an electric wheelchair.

What accounts for the drastic change in the ewe’s attitude?

“I sweet-talked her,” Turner explained.

Junior Livestock officials said they believe Turner is the first competitor to use a wheelchair in the show, which was first held in 1936.

On Thursday, Turner was in the ring at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center with 13 other teens, showing off his 131-pound lamb to the judge, who was impressed with the entire group. Turner and nine others received blue ribbons; the rest ranked higher and received purple ribbons.

Randy Williams, who teaches agricultural science at Medical Lake, said he didn’t have any doubt that Turner could participate.

“I pretty much knew what the outcome could be,” said Williams, who has led students in the National FFA Organization for 27 years. “Derek just wants to be treated like everybody else, and this is just an opportunity to do that.”

Over the past few months, Turner, 17, has trained most days after school with other FFA students at Medical Lake with assistance from sophomore Amanda Boggs (who won a purple ribbon on Thursday, allowing her to compete in a championship round).

The only change the show made for Turner’s wheelchair was to put less sawdust in the ring, allowing Turner’s wheelchair better movement, said Kim Nelson, a volunteer at the event.

“Derek is doing everything by himself,” Nelson said.

Turner led Secret, whose head was in a halter, by his side. His lamb adapted so well to the wheelchair that Secret uses it for cues.

“My lamb leads easily,” Turner said. “It stops when my chair makes the clicking noise.”

(He said he named Secret after the deodorant because she “stinks” and could use some.)

Derek’s parents, Angie and Marlan Turner, said they were unsure whether Derek would be able to lead livestock, but they wanted him to at least have the chance.

“He’s been very dedicated to it,” Marlan Turner said. “It’s given him a real sense of pride.”

Derek Turner will be back in the ring today. Over the weekend, Secret and the livestock handled by this year’s 600 participants will be auctioned.

With the lamb nearby, Turner said he expects Secret to be sold for breeding.

“I’m not worried about her,” he said.

“I know she’s going to be in a good home.”

Later – away from Secret’s tall ears – he acknowledged that the ewe could be sold to a meat packing company.

Turner said he’ll be back next year. “I like being in FFA and feel just like all the other kids when I’m in there,” he said.

“Just because you’re in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you can’t be in FFA.”