Owners line up their Hereford heifers in Saturday morning judging in the breeding heifer show in the Jan. 30-31 Showdown on the Plains at the Bank of Colorado Pavilion at the Phillips County Fairgrounds in Holyoke. Showmanship competition for breeding heifers as well as steers was conducted Saturday afternoon and evening, while the steer show began Sunday morning. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications
Keagan Steck, pictured at right, from Woodstock, Minnesota, and Rilee McGraw from Garden City, Kansas, compete in the Chianina heifer division of the breeding heifer show, under the watchful eye of arena helper Kendra Frank. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications
Cason Carlson may not be as big as his Charolais heifer, but he shows her with determination in the Showdown of the Plains breeding heifer show. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications
Steers, heifers and their showmen come from 5 states Jan. 30-31
A total of 272 animals brought cattle enthusiasts from five states to the Showdown on the Plains at the Bank of Colorado Pavilion at the Phillips County Fairgrounds in Holyoke last Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 30-31.
Minnesota, Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado were all represented when breeding heifer judging started Saturday morning, featuring 82 animals.
Showmanship for both heifers and steers commenced late Saturday afternoon.
Sunday morning, the two judging rings featured 190 steers before judges Chisum Grund from Sharon Springs, Kansas, and Brigham Stewart from Washington, Kansas.
City of Holyoke Recreation Director Victoria Dunker coordinated the event as an activity that kids could participate in during a time when so much has been canceled due to COVID-19.
She is quick to point out that there’s no way they could have run the Showdown as efficiently as they did without the numerous volunteers who helped in a variety of ways.
She specifically acknowledged committee members Tim and Monica Becker, Dustin and Kendra Frank, Jeff Plumb, Jessie Stewart, and Bobby and Shauna Strecker who joined Dunker and her husband Chase to organize the event.
Overwhelming support from community and area businesses in providing sponsorship for the Showdown made it an event to be proud of. Dunker was pleased to be able to utilize the donated funds to give back to the kids through awards.
Phillips County commissioners were supportive of hosting the event and helpful in making it a doable endeavor. Dunker also praised the county maintenance crew for their assistance in set-up as well as clean-up.
Denise Smith and the Platte Valley Rodeo Bible Camp manned the concessions booth in the pavilion, and other vendors were set up on the grounds as well.
The success of this year’s Showdown has organizers hoping it will become an annual event.
Dunker can’t give enough praise for former county administrator Randy Schafer and others for their vision when moving forward with the pavilion idea at the fairgrounds.
Their foresight is proving valuable as huge events such as the Showdown on the Plains bring visitors to town and locals together in a pavilion to be proud of.
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