Showing Animals at the County Fair is a Family Tradition

Nine-year-old Tyler Snyders, St. Charles, scrubbed the back of his all-black Angus steer in the late afternoon heat Wednesday at the St. Charles County Fair.

The massive animal needed a bath before Tyler would walk him around the ring in front of the judges.

This was Tyler's first experience caring for and showing a steer at the St. Charles County Fair. During the past year, Tyler said he learned quite about about what it takes to care for the animal he named "Ferb."

"Wash him, feed him, walk him and comb him every day," said Tyler, wiping sweat from his brow.

Tyler's parents, Susie and Tim Snyders, want him and his brother Kyle to learn lessons in responsibility through their 4H experiences. Caring for Ferb also helped Tyler confront his fears of the animal.

"At the very beginning, he was scared to death of steer," said Tim Snyders. "Today, he's doing just fine."

Participating in the St. Charles County Fair is a family tradition for many of the kids who were getting their steer ready to be shown Wednesday.

"I did 4H," said Susie Snyders, who is vice president for the St. Charles County Fair. "Growing up, the fair was our family vacation."

Blaine Bollmann said his kids used to show rabbits and have moved from that to steer.

"They make a little money, and they save it," he said. "They like doing it."

Drew Spires, 13, of Wentzville said he worked hard to get his steer, Big Mike, to learn to follow a lead. He eventually hooked Big Mike up to a tractor to encourage him to move.

"He was the kind of steer who stands there and doesn't want to move," said Drew.

Several of the kids said they like showing steer because it's a chance to make a little bit of money. After the judging, the animals are auctioned off and buyers pay per pound.

Sisters Tyler and Allie Hines, 18 and 17, of Flint Hill, pool the money they make from the auction and split it in half. Some of it goes into savings and some of it is spent for fun.

This is the Tyler's last year to participate.

"I'll be back up here next year to help out," she said.

Cora Besselman, 12, of O'Fallon said her black and white steer, Patriot, weighed in at 1,094 pounds on Wednesday. Cora said she uses the money to help pay the cost of boarding her horse.

Thinking about that makes it a little bit easier to say good bye to Patriot.

"I know I'll get that money to ride with," she said.