Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Culek Kids Show What They're Made Of At Fair
All decked out and ready for the rodeo, Waylon Stauffer, 2, of Banner County, does what he does best, practicing his roping skills.
The brother/sister duo of Aubrey and Britton Culek captured the overall Grand Champion market beef and Reserve Champion market beef at the Kimball-Banner County Fair on Friday, but their fair days aren't over yet as they will continue into September at the Nebraska State Fair.
Throughout the summer, the Culek kids have traveled to and participated in eight progress shows from Kearney to Denver and anywhere between.
Aubrey will take Tritt, weighing 1,341 pounds, and 131-pound Whiskey to Grand Island. Rooster and Besty will accompany Britton to the State Fair. Rooster weighs 1,250 pounds, and Betsy weighed in at the Kimball County Fair at 123 pounds. All four animals have multiple shows and championships under their belts.
Aubrey, 15, and Britton, 11, love to show and care for both beef and sheep. The proof of their passion is in their showmanship championships they have won this year and in previous years. Aubrey received Grand Champion FFA beef showman while Britton took the Grand Champion 4-H showman.
Using their experience in the show ring, Aubrey and Britton have intentions of showing at the college level and continuing in the agricultural field.
The Culek children work with their animals daily for 2-3 hours, then during the day put them in a 40-degree cooler to protect their hair.
Aubrey and Britton aren't the only showmen in the family. Sister Cashlyn, 9, shows goats and had a Grand Champion market goat, and she was the Grand Champion goat showman. And don't forget the youngest member of the family, Decker, 9, showing a market lamb and was chosen Grand Champion showman. Decker also has a market heifer, he showed.
The show experience has matured the Culek kids. Britton said the "best part of the whole experience was seeing the progress of the animal and getting to spend time with the animals. It is really fun when you get to start them up, and they are not trained, and you get to the end of the year, and they are all trained, and they know what to do."
Both Aubrey and Britton mentioned that it is tough to see the end of the project. Britton admitted, "There are a lot of tears."
Beef isn't the only species that the Culek kids compete in.
Aubery received Grand Champion Overall-market sheep and Britton took Reserve Champion Overall Market sheep on Thursday afternoon.
In other livestock showing, Banner County's Bailie Gilbert showed her hog and was selected as the Grand Champion Overall Market and Grand Champion Ultrasound. Reserve Champion Overall market hog went to Trey Cook, representing Pleasant View 4-H and the Kimball FFA.
Overall Grand Champion Market goat was raised and shown by Cashlyn Culek, and MaKenna Thurin received Reserve Champion.
The livestock sale was altered to a premium sale, and the date was changed to Saturday to create more interest and make it more accessible for buyers to attend. Hogs sold first, with 28 making the sale, followed by 24 goats, 23 beef, and 15 sheep, along with one duck and one rabbit.
