Following in her father’s footsteps, Mackenzie Schneider and her steer, Diesel, were named grand champions Wednesday afternoon at the Chelsea Community Fair.
For both Mackenzie and her sister, Natalie, who showed a pig named Rufus, this year was their first time showing at fair.
“I followed after my dad,” she said. Rodney Schneider took grand champion steer in 1973.
Mackenzie said she had butterflies in her stomach the first time she went into the ring, which is only natural, since it was her first time showing at fair.
“It was really fun,” she said, despite a slight wardrobe malfunction for her steer.
Diesel’s show halter broke and she had to resort to a second halter for her market class. But, it was no big deal to her.
“We brought two (halters) and it was the one I’d practiced with at home,” she said.
The two sisters had worked very hard with their animals leading up to fair and vowed to root for each other in their mutual fair debuts.
Natalie placed third in her showmanship class with her pig, Rufus, and second in her market class.
“I was really proud of her,” Natalie said about her sister, adding that she wasn’t surprised that Mackensie did so well.
Reserve grand champion steer went to Zeke Breuninger. He also won the senior showmanship class in this, his 14th, and final Chelsea Community Fair.
“I’m happy,” he said, adding that the win was bittersweet as he bids farewell to an activity that’s been a big part of his life to date.
“I’ll miss showing at the fair,” he said but “I’ll find other things in life.”
Breuninger is headed to Oklahoma A and M on Saturday where he plans to wrestle and study animal science. He plans to have a career in some aspect of agriculture.
Please enjoy the slide show below from the steer judging.
