Iowa State Fair Steer Show updates

http://youtu.be/wZ3mVwhXVhI
Enjoy!

Thanks for the video Scott. Agreed with the judge. Nice top end.

Who were the real good ones that didn't win their divisions in the crossbred show? Surely there were 10-12 that were as good as the champion in there

Thanks for your updates the last couple days Iowa Beef

does anyone know if the jones steer that got 3rd in class was from rodgers?

I believe that Jones steer was from Rodgers but that is only from what people were saying.  The champ came from South Dakota.  The boy and his family went and picked it out themselves and he was shown at Expo and at State Fair.  He actually had another steer he liked better but went lame and they had to put it down...so "next man in" and this steer became his state fair steer.  The kind of cool thing is no traders, no pro fitters, no big names involved wtih this calf...it was a 4-Her and his family....it proves that it still can be done.  I talked with his mother for quite a while tonight and they are simply flying high right now.  Nice to see that kind of pure excitement for a hard working family.

A great family and a great kid, however I dont think the portrayal of this being the accomplishment of novice freddy 4hers is entirely accurate. Grandpa is Darwin Koutney. Maybe not as household recognized as say Bob May, but from way back to obviously right now, Darwin can find one, feed one, and represent one with anyone around. I think there was at least one major won in the family, KC in the early 90s I think, and always would have been hunting anywhere they went. Time flies and types and trends change, but generation to generation that which was old becomes new again.

Compared to what normally happens with the top 5 steers, yes he was a 4-H kid and his family, grandpa or not.  In the state of Iowa, this is an underdog story.  You simply needed to be in the arena and then in the barn to understand that is sooooooooooo true. 

yuppiecowboy said:

A great family and a great kid, however I dont think the portrayal of this being the accomplishment of novice freddy 4hers is entirely accurate. Grandpa is Darwin Koutney. Maybe not as household recognized as say Bob May, but from way back to obviously right now, Darwin can find one, feed one, and represent one with anyone around. I think there was at least one major won in the family, KC in the early 90s I think, and always would have been hunting anywhere they went. Time flies and types and trends change, but generation to generation that which was old becomes new again.

Click to expand...

Darwin = Uncle .Won state fair quite a few years ago with his kids.Congrats to all

yuppiecowboy said:

A great family and a great kid, however I dont think the portrayal of this being the accomplishment of novice freddy 4hers is entirely accurate. Grandpa is Darwin Koutney. Maybe not as household recognized as say Bob May, but from way back to obviously right now, Darwin can find one, feed one, and represent one with anyone around. I think there was at least one major won in the family, KC in the early 90s I think, and always would have been hunting anywhere they went. Time flies and types and trends change, but generation to generation that which was old becomes new again.

Click to expand...

Darwin is Trevor's Uncle, and they have been showing good cattle for years.  Trevor has won the Great Jones County Fair year after year.  He decided it was time to let someone else win it and concentrate on State Fair.  Darwin has been working with this great kid, teaching him everything about cattle and fitting.  They go shopping for calves and bring several back home to sell and show.  He has a good eye for the great ones.  And it is true that the better steer is in their freezer now!

Darwin won the Iowa State Fair back in the 70s a couple of times as well as KC, and his son won it in between the years that Conrad Shada won, I believe in the 1990s.  Jones County steers won the Iowa State Fair 3 years in a row!
Danette (Darwin's sister) showed steers and Angus heifers for Wayside Farms when they were on the top of the Iowa Angus Industry.  The family knows good cattle and can get them ready!

It was kind of fun watching Trevor get the calf ready for the show, clipping all of the long unclipped hair off his legs and his sister doing the tail.  His mom ran the blower, and Darwin stood outside nervously.  There was no one around watching him get the steer ready like several others up the aisle, just a few county people. 

Congratulations to a great cattle family for winning another Iowa State Fair!!

iowabeef said:

Char Composites - James Gradert Champ(raised by Vicland) ...Jordan Reed Reserve
CHI-Dustin Lundberg Champ...Gracie Russell reserve

Click to expand...

This is a definately a feel good story and although it has happened before it usually doesnt end up that way.Darwin was a well respected and it is nice he was able to help his nephew on a day he will always remember.The money he will earn can go quite a ways toward a career .Congratulations on a job well done.Although I missed the show for the first time in many years due business demands I like the results better when I dont know who will win.I hope maybe someday I can help someone realize that dreams do[with hard work] come true.We all know how much work goes into a winning project and in this case it wasnt all spent before it started.

Does anyone have a calf pic of the champion?

I think there is a pic on lautners blog