State show debut

First time steer handler invited to auction

By Amie Johansen | amie@charlescitypress.com

Kelsi Crooks took a break from softball this past season and instead filled her spare time with Moo Moo — a 1,365 pound, cross bred steer.

“A five year old named him,” Crooks said of the steer’s peculiar name.

Crooks and Moo Moo were one of five showmen-animal pairs who applied for a chance to attend the Governor’s Charity Steer Show. The application process was part of a new selection system employed this year.

“We actually changed it up a little bit,” Matt Hoeft, member of Iowa Cattlemen’s Association board, said. “This year we offered an application that kids had to fill out some simple questions so we knew who was interested to help us out.”

According to Hoeft, none of the applicants had ever shown at the Governor’s Show.

The application involved providing basic information.

“The first one pertained to their age,” Hoeft said.

Hoeft and his partner, Terry Wicks, prefer high school aged showmen to be selected for the auction.

“We wanted kids who were old enough to understand the whole experience,” Hoeft said. “So, what we were doing this whole deal for.”

The Governor’s Charity Steer Show raises money for Ronald McDonald houses. Since 1981, Ronald McDonald House charities have served nearly 300 families in Floyd County. This leads to the second piece of criteria on the application.

“They (must be) willing to raise money and help sponsor and make a donation to Ronald McDonald House,” Hoeft said.

Once a steer and exhibitor has been selected, the exhibitor is responsible to help raise funds to sponsor the animal at auction.

“We try and go to the auction and buy the steer back,” Hoeft said. “We buy at the charity and all the proceeds go back to the Ronald McDonald House.”

“My mom helped me a lot,” Crooks said of her fundraising efforts. According to Crooks, the last report she heard was that roughly $6,000 has been raised toward purchasing Moo Moo at the Governor’s Charity Steer Show.

As with most steer shows, the quality of the finished animal is taken into consideration. This is the third piece of the application.

“Weight range for the steer,” Hoeft said of the third qualifier. “A guideline for what we wanted size wise.”

According to Les Staudt, owner of Moo Moo, at 1,365 pounds Moo Moo is considered finished. Another steer in the barn weighs in over 1,400 pounds, however, Moo Moo is a shorter build than his stall mate.

The final criteria is availability. The exhibitor and their animal would leave for Des Moines the Wednesday evening before the Saturday show.

Crooks fulfilled all of the stipulations. While Hoeft selects the exhibitor, he relies on Wicks to discern if the animal is a good fit for the show.

“We watched and just looked at the calves and see how that calf is going to be standing,” Hoeft said. “It’s three weeks (between the Floyd County Fair and the Steer Show), the animal can change a lot.”

They also try to guess at personality of the animal to ensure it will put on a good show in the ring.

“We do just the disposition and how they walk and how the steer is put together,” Hoeft said.

The Governor’s Show enjoys a much larger audience than the Floyd County Fair. Animals that are chosen have to be trusted to be predictable and dependable.

“People are lining the streets watching…we kind of look at the county fair, how did the calf act as far as responding to (crowds),” Hoeft said. “We’ve always had good luck down at Des Moines as far nothing getting away.”

Crooks is confident Moo Moo will remain calm and collected.

“He’s pretty calm, kind of like a dog,” she said. “We’d walk him outside of the barn (at the county fair) with cars driving by and little kids.” None of the excess noise seemed to bother Moo Moo.

Crooks will represent Floyd County as one of 25 exhibitors invited to the Governor’s show. The celebrity showcasing Moo Moo is Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.

“Bill will be stuck with us so long as we stick it out and he’s in office,” Hoeft joked.

This will be the 11th year Floyd County has participated in the Governor’s Charity Steer Show. Ten out of the 11 years Northey has shown a Floyd County steer.

“It was a fluke deal the very first year we (were paired with Northey) in 2006,” Hoeft said.

Before being paired with Northey, Floyd County worked with a celebrity from closer to home. “That very first year our celebrity was Larry Stewart, from Charles City.”

The long standing tradition of the Northey-Floyd County pairing has caused slight jealousy from the other participating counties.

“I get a kick out of that when I hear people say, ‘how did they get Northey?’” Hoeft said.  

Besides being able to claim Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture as the celebrity showman, Hoeft appreciates Northey’s professionalism in the ring.

“He does a really good job,” Hoeft said. “He’s not afraid of the animals and he actually is a really good showman. Some of the other (celebrities) struggle a little bit. The kids have a good time too, he’s really personable and good with kids.”

Once in Des Moines, Crooks will have a full schedule leading up to the Governor’s Show.

“They’ll have a meet and greet once they get the calves weighed and checked in, meet other kids and other families that are involved,” Hoeft said.

Exhibitors are also given coaching by beef advocacy council members on appropriate ways to handle those who might try to hold a demonstration during the show.

“There are activists down there and how to handle them,” Hoeft said.

Friday, exhibitors spend their day volunteering.

“They go to a Ronald McDonald House and volunteer for three hours,” Hoeft said. “The three hours they are there, they accumulate 200 volunteer hours (weed the garden, spruce up).”

There is also a special luncheon scheduled with Governor Terry Branstad and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds.

The main event show, takes place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13.

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