Polk County boy inspires by showing animals at Iowa State Fair

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Kids enrolled in 4-H and FFA are after blue ribbons at the Iowa State Fair. They spent months preparing their animals and are now showing them off. For one family, this year's fair is even more meaningful.

Sam Engler, a 12-year-old from Polk County, is enjoying his 10th year of showing animals at the fair.

"He showed down here at the State Fair the first time when he was two I think," Candice Engler, Sam's mom, said.  "So, he’s been showing pigs for a really long time and then we added the sheep when he got older."

Sam knows the routine for brushing and grooming his sheep, Kit Kat.

"You have to make sure Kit Kat looks the best you can," he said.

But showing the animal looks a little different because it’s harder for him to get around, and Sam said, "It gets pretty crazy because everyone’s paying attention to you."

"About three and half years ago he was diagnosed with Friedreich's ataxia," Ben Engler, Sam's dad, said. "It is a degenerative neuromuscular condition. So, he’s got his challenges but at the end of the day he’s still a little boy that loves all things farm."

It's a disorder that makes it hard for Sam to walk and keep his balance, but itwon’t keep him out of the ring. He now enters in a new, custom-made track chair.

His grandpa built the piece that keeps the sheep’s head in place.

"It’s just like what’s on the head stand that the sheep’s used to," Candice explained, "but we just had to teach it to walk in it, so it’s worked out pretty well."

Family friend Kelsi Wilkinson goes alongside Sam to help him with the animal's feet.

"It’s just really nice that he can just go out, he’s confident with whatever he’s doing, and he can just show his animals," Wilkinson said.

It's a chair made possible by Make-A-Wish Iowa and Heartland DSC, an organization on a mission to help youth get outdoors.

"We had a chair from Easterseals that he had been using but it’s a normal indoor chair. And the outdoor farm lifestyle,  I think at least every other day it was stuck somewhere, and we were having to help him push it out," Candice said. "So having something to get around and do the things he wants to do and not get stuck in the show ring is a big deal."

And a big deal to help Sam get around the farm.

"Basically, go anywhere and everywhere," Sam said.

While Sam’s parents want it to be easier for him, his mother said, "It’s a little hard sometimes because I remember what he used to be able to do, but it’s awesome he can still do it."

They’re thankful for the support he’s received.

"It’s heartbreaking on one hand," Ben said, "but it’s amazing on the other, all the people that have helped."

Help that’s allowed Sam to keep showing his animals and have fun at the Iowa State Fair.

"We have no idea what year to year is going to look like. We have no idea what day to day is going to look like," Ben said. "Let’s make every day as good a day as we can for him."

Sam will show his pigs in the open show at the State Fair on Friday. He starts sixth grade at North Polk next week.

Iowa News

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