Champaign County Teen Shows Grand Champion Junior Steer At 2010 Illinois State Fair

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- "Whatever happens, happens. If I don't get it, there's always next year," showman Brandon Wyatt said Saturday evening while waiting anxiously for a winner to be selected in the Illinois State Fair Junior Steer Show. 

Moments later the decision was made and, when Wyatt's steer was announced as the grand champion, onlookers in the Livestock Center erupted in cheers and applause. 

"I couldn't believe it," a relieved Wyatt said.  "All the hard work finally paid off."

His grand champion steer is a 1,321 pound, AOB Key named Roscoe. Roscoe will join other Junior Show winners Tuesday in the Governor's Sale of Champions, an auction of the state fair's grand champion livestock. 

Wyatt, 18, is a member of the Royal Ag 4H Club and is from Ogden, Ill.  He said his stepfather first interested him in showing livestock and credited his stepfather for teaching him "all the tricks of the trade." 

The Reserve Grand Champion, a 1,293 pound Crossbred named Boardwalk, was shown by Nicholas Day of Lovington, Ill.  Day, 18, is a member of the Sunnyside Flea Flickers 4H Club.

Griggsville 4H Club member Levi Colley is the owner of the 2010 Grand Champion Meat Goat. His Boer wether beat all others, including this year's Reserve Grand Champion, Kelly Adams.

Levi, 13, was extremely excited when the judge chose his goat.  He has been showing goats five years and said his favorite part of the competition is "the work you get to put into them and the places you get to go."

Levi also shows lambs. He plans to put the money raised from the Sale of Champions toward next year's entries.

Adams, 19, is a member of the Country Kids 4H Club of Viola, Ill.  She was bittersweet about the show because it was her last, but said she was glad it ended on a good note.