Brayden Freeman, left and Landry Freeman, right, show off their prize winning steer at the Illinois State Fair. Bob, the steer, got first place supreme grand champion steer over the weekend. (Submitted photo)
By BETH ZUMWALT
Landry Freeman, an incoming senior at Winchester High School says she has been going to the state fair since she was a “little girl.”
This year she decided to take a cow with her and between her and Bob, her simmental steer, brought home first place, supreme grand champion steer.
“We took him to several indoor shows over the winter,” Freeman said. “ We were in Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri and we did pretty well with him. The state fair was our first summer show.”
Freeman said her family acquired Bob as a calf and have raised and cared for him for the past year and half. The one and one-half old weights around !,385 lbs.
“It’s a lot of work to have a show steer,” Freeman said. “You have to make sure he has the proper diet, lots of water, is walked on a lead at least two times a day, cleaned and brushed out two times a day. I am in the barn every morning at 6:30 and it is 8:30 p.m. before I leave.”
Freeman said walking Bob and taking him to the indoor shows was good experience for the steer going into the state fair.
“Bob knows the set up. It’s my job to get him to show his best,” Freeman said.
Bob was to be on the auction block at the governor’s sale Tuesday night. No one is sure what happens after that.
“I’m sure it will be emotional,” Freeman said. “I couldn’t have done this without my family, especially my brother, Brayden. We both worked so hard for this. We will have good memories.
Bob was a year and half old at the time of his victory, so logistically, the Freeman’s should have another cow in training.
“We don’t,” Freeman said. “We are not sure what the future is for our showing cattle.”
