Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Winsten Nienhaus, above, showed the champion duck in the Brown County Fair poultry show on Friday.

NEW ULM — Two years after avian flu halted all poultry shows across the country the 4-H and FFA shows are beginning to return to their former glory.

Poultry Judge Paul Merkins said this year feature a good display of birds, but with some room to grow.

Both the chicken and duck divisions feature youth competition but the geese and turkey categories were absent of competitors this year.

The Overall Champion Chicken went to Ashely Gag with Martina Nienhaus in Reserve.

The Champion Duck went to Winsten Nienhaus and Reserve was Piper Mangen.

The Senior Showmanship class had a single entry with Martina Nienhaus, but Merkins believed next year she would face strong competition. The Intermediate Showmanship feature six youths. Ashley Gag took the top prize for her bird with Benjamin Nachreiner taking reserve.

The Junior Showmanship class was even larger with nine entrants. Winsten Nienhaus took first with his duck. Tayte Zihlke took second with his chicken.