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Participants of the 4-H livestock organization “H” see their hard work pay off at the Nebraska State Fair

It was a busy week for 4-H exhibitors at the Nebraska State Fair.

Fourteen-year-old Harley Hansen was beside herself with emotion after her market bull Die Hard took the overall victory on Sunday.

“He got really sick over the winter and was dying. We weren’t sure if he was going to make it, but I worked my ass off all summer and now we’re here,” she says.

Hansen’s ox was also champion in her crossbreeding class.

Fourteen-year-old Brody Wiese owned the champion steer named Bobby Boucher. He tells Brownfield what made Bobby special.

“He has a nice coat, big legs, big bones, is big all around. He looks like a show bull and has everything a show bull needs,” he says.

18-year-old Mara Yindrick took the reserve victory in the Shorthorn steers.

“I think structurally it’s just very cleanly built and it runs smoothly,” she says. “I wish it had a little more weight, I think that’s probably why it went into reserve.”

Aubrey High is one of many youth from Nebraska’s 4-H program who show steers at the Nebraska State Fair. She tells Brownfield about Cash, her champion Charolais steer.

“He weighs about 1,438 pounds and I’ve been showing him for a while now. We’ve won about eight shows with him,” she says.

Cash is a white steer and High says she worked hard to get his coloring just right.

“It took a lot of purple shampoo,” she says.

The 4-H member says the organization meant a lot to her.

“I have made all my friends and I am very happy about it. I also love showing animals. It’s fun,” she says.

Isabelle Stubbendick, from Otoe County finished third in total number of veal calves and says her heifer has taught her a lot.

“When you’re leading, you can’t fight her as much as you think, because then she’ll just get more stubborn,” she says. “You kind of have to let her do her own thing.”

She tells Brownfield that she has been involved in 4-H for six years.

“I really like showing it off and seeing other people, how they are doing, how their calves are and how good they are, and spending time with my family and friends,” she says.

Brownfield interviewed 4-H livestock competitors during 4-H Day on Sunday at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island.

Photo: Izabel Stubbendick with her calf on Sunday during the 4-H youth livestock competitions.

Photo: Harley Hansen poses with her overall winning market ox named “Die Hard” on Sunday.

Photo: Jace Fogarty poses with his overall winning fattened calf at the Nebraska State Fair on Sunday.