Published: March 26, 2009 11:32 pm      

YOUTH EXPO: The star of the show

Robinson and ‘Buttercup’ take title of Grand Champion steer

Buttercup beat out Tucker by a nose Thursday and was named Grand Champion in the steer show at the Navarro County Youth Expo.

The 1,300-pound Buttercup was shown by Vance Robinson, 11, who is a fifth-grader at Navarro Elementary in Corsicana. He participates with Corsicana FFA.

He said he didn’t know what he would spend the money on, if his steer sells well in the auction Saturday.

“Well, first, we’ll buy more cows, steers,” he said. The youngster said he was “real nervous” during the final judging.

Buttercup was not the heaviest steer, but he was the nicest overall package, according to the judge.

Drew Whistler, whose steer, Tucker, won the Reserve Grand Champion, also won first place in Senior Showmanship.

“I should have enough scholarships to go to fire school, but if there’s anything else I need, I can use this,” Whistler said.

Whistler, who only turned 18 on Wednesday, said he worked with his animal everyday, walking and grooming him.

Second place in the senior showmanship division was Ryan Leeskov, Kerens FFA, and Hanna Chaffin, Blooming Grove FFA, won third.

Dylan Bapp, of Dawson 4-H, won Junior Showmanship, with Logan Peterson taking second, and Katie Yates placing third.

Judging the cattle Thursday was Dr. Chris Skaggs, associate dean of student development for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. Skaggs has judged registered cattle in 38 states, as well as Canada and Mexico, and is the superintendent of both the San Antonio and Houston Junior Steer Shows, the largest steer shows in the world.

The top finishers in each category were as follows:

Class 1: First place, Dustin Aguado, Kerens FFA; Second, Trey Davis, Emhouse 4-H; and third, Jayd Kirby, Blooming Grove/Barry 4-H. Class 2: First, Zach Chaffin, Blooming Grove FFA; Second, Montana Steele, Dawson FFA; Third, Leeza Mitchell, Corsicana FFA. Class 3: First, Lauren Marrs, Corsicana FFA; Second, Dakota Norris, Kerens FFA; Third, Will McCoy, Corsicana FFA. Class 4: First, Vance Robinson, Corsicana FFA; Second, Drew Whistler, Blooming Grove FFA; Third, Dillon Robinson, Corsicana FFA.

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