Governor’s steer show raises $569,000

AMES – The 43rd annual Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show raised $569,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa last week.

That brings total contributions to more than $6 million since its inception in 1983, according to a press release from the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association..

Proceeds benefit the three independent Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, located in Des Moines, Iowa City and Sioux City.

This event, hosted by the Office of the Governor of Iowa, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and the Iowa Beef Industry Council, is another example of the care the beef cattle industry has for our state, rural communities, and those in need, said the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.

A notable first for the Governor’s Charity Steer Show was the participation of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins as a celebrity showman. Rollins is the first sitting U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to participate.

Not only was the Livestock Pavilion packed for the Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show, but many tuned in online, said the press release.

The 43rd Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show was held Aug. 9 in the Livestock Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair. This year’s event hosted 25 sponsored steers, shown by their youth exhibitor and a local celebrity.

The Community Hero Award recognizes the youth exhibitor who goes above and beyond collecting non-monetary donations and creating awareness for the event. This year’s winner of the Community Hero Award was Merritt Moss from Hull.

The showmanship contest was judged by Lexi Marek Beeler and Macy Marek Sieren. Their focus was on the partnership between the celebrity, the youth exhibitor and the steer.

Dr. Dan Grooms and Matt Elbert, with Trice, the steer, took the title of Grand Champion Showman. This team had fun and jazzed up Trice with a little Iowa State University cardinal and gold.

Matt is from Rock Rapids. Their sponsors were the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association and the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

A fan favorite, the People’s Choice Award, gives the audience and team supporters a voice in the competition as they help select the winner of this event. This year, Brad Hook helped judge this award.

With a lot of teams in the running, Tucker Freimuth and Ralph Lents, the president of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, along with Burt Reynolds, the steer, edged out the competition. Tucker, from Lytton, and his team were sponsored by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board.

The most prestigious award of the show is the Judge’s Grand Champion. With back-to-back wins the for sponsor, the Iowa Bankers Association, Brenna Thie from Mediapolis, and her steer, Jimmy, along with celebrity, Jeff Angelo, an iHeart and WHO Radio personality, received the honor.

Following the show, a live auction was conducted to raise funds through the sale of each steer and additional value-added items donated by industry supporters and celebrities.