For many area showmen, like Blake Ricketts, the Prime Beef Festival marks the end of their show season. Behind the ribbons and competition is the time spent building trust and a connection between showman and animal- something Ricketts says he nearly overlooked.
“When I started this summer out, my older brother was on me a little bit about working harder with my steer, and at the start of the summer, I kind of shrugged it off,” says Ricketts. “Once I started working on him, I just realized that it means a lot to bond with an animal, and to do this, I am very lucky as an individual to show cattle.”
That work paid off as Ricketts and his steer made their way through the summer show circuit, earning several top placements before ultimately finding success at the Prime Beef Festival.
“I showed at my VoAG fair for Section Four and placed reserved crossbred with that same steer. Then I went to Henderson County and won that with that steer,” says Ricketts. ”Went to the throwdown and didn’t place there. But this again, that show was filled with a bunch of great steers and great contestants. And then came here and won it all.”
As Ricketts looks ahead to his final show season, he says he plans to start training his animal earlier, focusing on improving walking.
