The Norfolk Beef Expo was held for the 71st time this weekend at the Chuck Pohlman Ag Complex at Northeast Community College.
The competition, among the last cattle shows in the state for the year, remained similar to previous years despite the pandemic, with 87 entries. And those competitors were eventually narrowed down to a few division winners and ultimately two grand and reserve champions.
Winning the grand championship in the market heifer competition was Kolton Rasmussen of Newman Grove, who has become something of a familiar name at the Norfolk Beef Expo. This is Rasmussen’s third grand championship in four years, and he also won a reserve championship in 2019.
Rasmussen said he was surprised when he was declared the winner but felt that he put in the effort to earn it.
“I spent a lot of days and nights and a lot of hard work to take care of her,” Rasmusseun said.
Rasmussen’s heifer, Bobby, named because of her tendency to bob her head, weighed in at 1,304 pounds and a height of 123.3 centimeters.
Sydney McKay, the beef expo judge, said during the competition that Rasmussen and Bobby stood out immediately.
“You step back and she just hits you,” McKay said. “She’s a really big body and gets around the ring with good flexibility and movement.”
Rasmussen said he doesn’t really have a secret to success beyond just putting in the effort.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” Rasmussen said. “It’s a lot of brushing. I would brush her two times a day. It just takes a lot of work.”
Along with the championship, Bobby was sold at an auction following the expo for $500.
The reserve champion in the market heifer competition was Collin Vrbka of Shelby. The grand champion in the market steer competition was Jack Ritter of Beemer, and the reserve champion was Berren Strope of O’Neill. Ritter's steer was sold for $13,000 at the auction.
Also honored Sunday were four scholarship winners from the previous beef expo and community ag scholarships. Typically, the scholarships are awarded at a banquet earlier in the summer, but the banquet was canceled this year.
The four winners were Emily Groeteke of Cedar Rapids, Kelcie Hall of Norfolk, Madeline Huwaldt of Osmond and Garrett Kroupa of Pierce. All four graduated high school in May and are now in college, with Groeteke at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Huwaldt at South Dakota State University and Hall and Kroupa at Northeast Community College in Norfolk.
McKay said it has been a difficult year, but the fact the beef expo was even held showed how dedicated the competitors and their families were.
“I feel very fortunate to be here today, not only to evaluate the livestock, but also the kids, and work with them,” McKay said. “Exhibitors should be very proud of all the hard work they’ve done. ... This is definitely a team sport, a family sport, and it takes a lot of help and support from everyone to get to this point.
“We’re fortunate to be able to meet and do the things that we love, even if it looks a little different with the masks and everything. At least we’re still able to enjoy our time here.”
September 14, 2020 at 09:39PM
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