Walk through the Morrow County fairgrounds this week and you’ll spot plenty of familiar faces from BNW \u2014 chasing their own kids between events, catching up with fair friends they only see once a year, doing the whole fair-week thing alongside everybody else.<\/p>\n
But a few of our crew have been doing something else for months: helping a Morrow County youth named Ambar get her steer ready to show.<\/p>\n
BNW sponsors the Morrow County Fair, and we’re glad to. But the more meaningful part of our involvement happens earlier in the year, and it’s a lot less visible. Every year, through our Youth Livestock program, a Morrow County youth is given a donated steer and a place to raise him \u2014 and paired up with BNW employees who show up to help along the way.<\/p>\n
This year, that steer was Chimuelo, and he had opinions about being led around. Ambar spent months figuring him out \u2014 early mornings, the days he didn’t make it easy, learning what he actually needed instead of just pushing through. That’s the part of raising a project animal nobody sees from the stands.<\/p>\n
This week, it showed. Ambar walked Chimuelo into that ring with the kind of steady, confident handling that only comes from putting in the actual work.<\/p>\n
Congratulations to Ambar and Chimuelo, and to every Morrow County exhibitor showing this week. It’s not one person’s job to make a program like this work \u2014 it’s whoever’s around to help. That’s what the fair community does for each other, and we’re glad to be a part of it.<\/p>\n
About the Youth Livestock Program<\/strong><\/p>\n The program is built for Morrow County 4-H and FFA students who want the experience of raising and showing a steer but are facing facility or financial constraints that make it difficult on their own. Along with the steer, students get hands-on guidance in livestock management, showmanship, and nutrition throughout the process \u2014 not just an animal and a fair date.<\/p>\n If you know a student who’d be a good fit, or you’re an ag advisor with someone in mind, applications open in early November, with participants selected by the beginning of January.<\/p>\n Questions can go to youth.program@beefnw.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n See more program information here –\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n