For the first time in five years, the owner of the grand champion at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fair Beef Show was not named Paetzel.
In both 2017 and 2018, Brad Paetzel of Hope was the undisputed king of the beef show by taking home the grand champion honors in the beef steer category.
During the 2019 event, it was his sister, Nichole Paetzel, who emerged with the same honor.
Last year’s show was canceled, along with the rest of the fair, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But on Thursday, about 200 people filled the 4-H Pavilion to watch both older, experienced teens and younger herders take home grand and reserve championships in 21 separate classes.
Oddly enough, the grand champions in the first three competitive classes are all in the same grade at the same school.
While the Paetzel siblings are now adults, one of the new rising stars appears to be 11-year-old Ava Dempsey, who won over four competitors to get the Grand Champion banner in the Angus class.
Back in 2019, the then-9-year-old Ava won over seven competitors in the same division.
Now in her third year of 4-H, Ava says it gets a little easier to show steers and heifers with each passing year.
“Once you start learning how you can set up their feed, as well as how to work with them, you’ll know what you’re doing for the rest of your 4-H career,” said Ava, who will begin sixth grade at Hope Elementary next month.
One of Ava’s classmates in Hope is 11-year-old Logan Downey, who took top honors by defeating three other heifers in the Charlois class. Like Ava, Logan has also been exhibiting for three years.
Although most of the cattle being displayed weigh about 1,000 pounds or more, Logan says he isn’t concerned that his heifer will get out of control.
“One key is showing them who’s boss,” Logan said. “But it also comes from working with them enough to gain their confidence.”
Just minutes after Logan won his class banner, another Hope Elementary sixth grader saw his heifer chosen as Grand Champion in the Simmental division.
Adyn Dempsey, who is Ava Dempsey’s brother, has been showing cattle as long as his sister. The 11-year-old says exhibiting heifers at the beef show is something he can improve on every year.
“I’m not getting as nervous, because I have more experience under my belt now, and I feel I’m good at showing,” Adyn said. “But it takes two or three hours of practice every day.”
His daily chores include rinsing cows every morning, ensuring each heifer or steer gets the right feed mix, and checking on the welfare of the cattle each night, he said.
A total of 61 heifers, steers and dairy steers were exhibited Wednesday — down from 72 a few years ago. If you ask the parents of the exhibitors why fewer kids are in the beef show, most will tell you it’s a matter of both time and money.
In terms of financial investment, a farmer can nourish 20 chickens for a week with the same amount of feed that three cows consume in just two days, according to the Beef Cattle Research Foundation.
In addition, the 284-day gestation time for cattle is substantially longer than other livestock. After a calf is born, it must be fed and looked after for a year-and-a-half before anyone gets beef for dinner, the foundation’s website states.
“With the prices of corn, soybean and feed commodities, it’s still not very profitable to raise cattle,” said Steve Bense, who owns about 30 head of cattle. “We’re hoping the price of beef will come up to help us catch up (financially).”
Some of the beef entries will be among the more than 200 animals set to be auctioned during the 4-H livestock sale at 8:15 a.m. Saturday in the pavilion.
As fair board president Rick Trimpe was watching kids and cattle coming out of the pavilion, he was also keeping an eye on the dark overcast skies that prevailed early Thursday afternoon.
“Although the fair has been going pretty good, the rain during the last few days has really hindered us,” Trimpe said.
Due to the inclement weather, the fair had to cancel a couple of grandstand events, including Wednesday night’s truck pulls, the fair board president said.
Dry and mild conditions are predicted for the fair’s final two days, which Trimpe says will hopefully bring out larger crowds.
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FRIDAY, JULY 2 SOMBRA INDUSTRIES
9 a.m. 4-H Rocket Demonstration – Large Parking Lot Shelter north of Grandstand
11 a.m. 4-H Barbeque Contest – David Boll Theatre
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. 4-H Grand Champion Pictures – David Boll Theatre
5–10 p.m. Lil’ Hands on the Farm, 4-H Community Building, Family Arts, and Commercial Buildings open
5 – 8 p.m. Midway Opens – Regular priced tickets until 8 p.m.
5 p.m. 4-H Parade of Champions – Livestock Pavilion
6:30 p.m. Lil’ Wrangler Horse & Pony – Horse Arena
6:30 p.m. 4-H Supreme Showmanship & Livestock Awards –– Division 1: Rabbit, & Poultry – Pavilion
7 p.m. 4-H Supreme Showmanship & Livestock Awards – Div 2: Beef, Dairy, Swine, Sheep & Goats – Pavilion
7 p.m. Good Time Review – A groovin’ rock band spanning the decades – David Boll Theatre
7 p.m. Blacksmithing Demonstration – Heritage Building
7 p.m. Family Fun Night – Cornhole, Spin the Wheel, etc.
7 p.m. Indiana Pulling League – Grandstand
8 p.m. Midnight Madness – $18 wristbands
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Grand Champion Beef Female: Emily Hoene
Reserve Champion Beef Female: Logan Downey
Grand Champion Born & Raised: Emily Hoene
Reserve Champion Born and Raised: Ava Dempsey
Grand Champion Dairy Steer: Betsy Hoene
Reserve Champion Dairy Steer: Ethan Hall
Grand Champion Starter Calf: Betsy Hoene
Reserve Champion Starter Calf: Sydnie Schiefer
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