With no Missouri State Fair (MSF) On-Foot Carcass Show or Carcass Contest, youth exhibitors were left with finished livestock and no end point for their steer projects. But, Missouri Junior Angus steer exhibitors had an advocate who arranged for an outlet.
“Since there was no on-foot carcass show, I recruited steers from the 4-H and the FFA show before and during the fair,” said David Warfield, Butler, Mo. “And I only wanted 4-H and FFA Angus steers.”
The list of youth Angus Market Steer contenders at the 2020 MSF Youth Livestock Show included Lane Bollinger, Grace Bush, Hannah Epple, Sean Houston, Samuel Jordan, Clara Warfield and Luke Warfield. On Aug. 18, 2020, Chris Mullinix, Kansas State University Animal Sciences Instructor and head Livestock Judging Team Coach, evaluated the 4-H and FFA Angus steers.
Jordan, from Savannah, Mo., and representing Andrew County, took top honors and earned $300.00 for his Champion 4-H Steer. Clara Warfield of Butler, Mo., in Bates County garnered the Reserve title and won $200 for her 4-H steer.
In the FFA Steer Show, the Championship went to Houston of Savannah, Mo., who received $300. Bush from St. James, Mo., stood in the Reserve Champion slot with her Angus calf who earned her $200.
In order for a subsequent carcass contest to take place, David Warfield reached out to Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, LLC. During the pandemic, meat lockers in general were overrun with additional slaughter requests, creating a backlog of booking dates through next spring. Creekstone worked with Warfield to accommodate the immediate need. Warfield volunteered to truck the steers to Creekstone’s facility in Arkansas, Ks. On the way, he picked up another calf from a junior Angus member so that his steer could be included in the contest. A total of six steers were individually tagged and killed Aug. 20, with carcass data compiled.
Missouri Angus Association (MAA) General Manager Julie Conover separately assessed the carcass data, declaring Champion Angus Carcass as Clara Warfield’s 1,390 pound steer, who dressed at 817 pounds, graded Low Prime with a YG of 2.9 and REA 13.5. Clara received $500 in prize money and a Quality Premium of $122.55, more than $100 over all other contenders as a result of grading Prime.
Payton Frank of Wentzville, Mo., took home the Reserve Champion title and $300 for his 1,210 pound steer that dressed at 744 pounds and graded High Choice with YG 2.6 and REA 13.72.
Dr. Curtis Long of Briarwood Angus Farms, Butler, Mo., instituted the Angus Carcass Contest over two decades ago, and annually provides prize money through the MAA Foundation. Dr. Long was on hand to award embroidered championship garment bags to the top 4-H and FFA exhibitors during the live show. Participants will subsequently receive their monetary awards from Dr. Long and the MAA during the 2021 Annual Banquet in February.
Four participants who competed in both the Carcass and 4-H or FFA shows will additionally receive $200 Participation Awards. They are: Bush, Houston, Clara Warfield, and Luke Warfield.
For more information about the annual State Fair Carcass Contest, visit https://www.mostatefair.com/ or contact Briarwood Farms at 660-679-3459. And to learn more about the Missouri Junior Angus program, go to http://www.missouriangus.org/.
