BUCYRUS — Kendal Widman smiled shyly as she stood in front of the crowd, holding up a sign that read “Grand Champion Market Beef.”
Widman is no stranger to the Crawford County Fair, or the winner’s circle. This is the third time her entry has earned grand champion market beef — she won for the first time in 2015, then again in 2018.
Widman also raised this year’s grand champion goat.
“I’ve had animals all my life,” said the rising freshman at Colonel Crawford.
Widman lives on a farm with her parents, Tom and Kristy, but says her grandfather played a large role in getting her involved in 4-H.
“My grandpa passed away five years ago, but he’s the one who started us out. I’m pretty grateful for him,” she said.
Widman’s grandfather encouraged her older brother to show, and she soon followed.
“I just kind of fell into it through all my family showing,” Widman recalled.
This year’s sale of champions was modified slightly due to COVID-19 regulations. Folding chairs were spaced throughout the barn to comply with social distancing guidelines. Youngsters were not permitted to bring their animals into the ring. State guidelines also prohibited the students from shaking hands with buyers after the sale.
“It’s very different,” Widman said. “It’s still a sale. I’m glad we even have a fair this year, but it’d be nice to have the animal in there with me.”
“We’re very thankful and blessed to even have all the kids here exhibiting their animals this year with everything going on,” Widman’s mother, Kristy, said. “I think it sets a good work ethic, leadership and responsibility.”
Andy Lohr, a board member of the Ohio Cattleman’s Association, was grateful to the Crawford County Fair Board for going forward with the festivities.
“We think it’s very important that they did have a fair this year,” Rohr said. “The senior fair board stuck their neck out, saying they were going to to have one. It’s good that the kids showed up and the buyers came to support the kids.”
Allison Lust, a rising junior at Wynford High School, took reserve grand champion for her market steer. Lust spends her winters traveling the state for the Ohio Cattleman’s Association’s BEST youth exhibitions.
Lust has been raising steers since she was 9 years old. She also helps her sister with her hogs, but the partnership can be challenging at times.
“It’s hard sometimes because we have different views about how to do certain things in the barn,” she said.
Raising a quality steer takes consistent effort, from regularly bathing and exercising the animal to managing its diet and training them to show.
“If you don’t work with them, they’re going to act crazy at the fair and it’s going to show,” said Lust, who also took reserve champion in 2018.
