Platte County Steer Wins Reserve To End Purebred Drought; Grand Champion From Lincoln County

Paisley Nelson of Platte County leads her steer through the ring on the Grand Champion Drive at the 2023 Missouri State Fair on Aug. 15. Nelson’s Charolais composite claimed Reserve Grand Champion. (Photo by Kyle Hill, Alpha Ag Network)

For the first time in at least a decade, a steer from a purebred class will appear in the Missouri State Fair’s Sale of Champions. A Charolais composite weighing 1380 pounds picked up reserve grand champion honors in the market steer show Tuesday afternoon, exhibited by Paisley Nelson of Platte City. Nelson said her decision to pick a Charolais after working with Simmentals paid off.

Central MO Info · 23 0816 Paisley Nelson on selecting her Reserve Grand Champion Steer

Ryleigh Witt of Lincoln County guides her steer through the ring on the Grand Champion Drive at the 2023 Missouri State Fair market steer show. Witt’s crossbred steer won Grand Champion, earning a place in the Sale of Champions. (Photo by Kyle Hill, Alpha Ag Network)

Nelson finished reserve in the 4-H Division behind this year’s overall Grand Champion, a 1410 pound crossbred steer exhibited by Ryleigh Witt of Lincoln County. Witt said she was surprised that her steer went the distance.

Central MO Info · 23 0816 Ryleigh Witt on her Grand Champion Steer’s performance

Witt’s selection as Grand Champion confirmed that a purebred steer would appear in Saturday’s Sale of Champions, as the FFA Division was won by a 1405 pound Simmental shown by Cole Murphy of Houstonia. Chillicothe’s Beau Ann Graves had reserve in the FFA division with her crossbred steer weighing 1420 pounds.