WELLINGTON – 4-Hers paraded their steers Saturday afternoon during the market steer auction and hoped to see their college accounts grow.

Lamar Horton, 12, of Grafton, had the Grand Champion Dairy Beef Cross, which weighed in at 1,363 pounds and sold for $2.20 per pound – 35 cents shy of a fair record.

That’s $2,998.60 for the veteran fair participant.

Lamar, a seventh-grader at Eastern Heights Middle School, said it was a lot of hard work to take care of a steer every day for nearly a year but said remembering to “always show him you’re in charge” helped him control the large animal.

Showing for the fourth year in a row, Lamar said he was thrilled with his win.

“It feels pretty good to have a grand champion,” he said, “but I’d like to give other kids a chance to win so everyone can be a winner.”

Wal-Mart of Oberlin bought Lamar’s steer.

Kirsten Long, 12, of Wellington, had the Reserve Champion Lottery Steer and struggled afterward knowing she had to say goodbye to the animal she’d raised to a whopping 1,315 pounds. Her steer sold for $2.05 per pound.

“I wanted to do it because I know it’s good money for college,” the McCormick Middle School student said.

4-H veteran Ryan Bradley, 19, of Wellington, said he, too, was emotional the first few years he showed steers, knowing they were being sold for food. He’s a little sad this year, too, because it’s his last year. He raised the Grand Champion Lottery Steer.

“I think I’ll be a little sad,” he said. “I’ve been doing this for so long. … I’ll want to come here in the fall and get my steer, and I’ll have to remember that I can’t anymore.”

Bradley is studying at Lorain County Community College to become a middle school math teacher, so the sale of his 1,354-pound steer for $3 per pound will come in handy.

Amy Sayler, of Wakeman, also intends for funds from the sale of her 1,398-pound Reserve Champion Dairy Steer to help pay for her classes in early childhood education at Bowling Green State University’s Firelands campus.

For 9-year-old Kyle Piscione of LaGrange, his first time out at the county fair was highly profitable. Kyle took home six titles, including Reserve Champion Dairy Beef Cross, which weighed in at 1,216 pounds.

Kyle said he was happy to have shown three grand champions and three reserve champions.

“I’m proud,” the Keystone fourth-grader said.

“I go out and feed them every night and morning and play with them and stuff,” he said.

Kyle intends to save his winnings for college and is already looking forward to competing next year.

In all, 80 steers were sold Saturday.

Contact Alicia Castelli at 329-7144 or acastelli@chroniclet.com.

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