When livestock shows were canceled due to COVID-19, livestock exhibitors lost their chance to step foot in a show ring – an investment of time and money seemingly going to waste. After all, it’s not easy to get prepped and ready to show award-winning livestock.
Mariah Steenhard of West Fork FFA in Iowa bought her heifer in November 2019 and had plans to show the animal throughout the spring and summer of 2020 to prepare for the Iowa State Fair in August. As events were canceled and COVID-19 restrictions were put in place, Steenhard had nowhere to showcase the results of the time and effort she put into raising her heifer.
“We were upset,” Steenhard says. “We didn’t know how the summer was going to pan out. I worked with my animal for so long, and we were confident she’d do really well.”
Knowing how much work members put into raising show animals, show organizers in Iowa planned the 2020 Fair Special Edition, giving FFA members a chance to put their determination on display. Kaitlyn Porter, West Fork FFA advisor and livestock exhibit supervisor, said show organizers worked hard to plan a safe, healthy livestock show.
“Things were set up differently to make sure the members would be safe,” Porter says. “We socially distanced at check-ins, had hand sanitizer stations set up and wore masks. We also decreased the number of shows to limit the time we came into contact with each other. It took a ton of planning, but it was worth it knowing the kids would be safe while showing their animals.”
Steenhard says she felt safe, and it was comforting to feel a sense of normalcy in a year that seemed anything but normal.
“When livestock people get together, it feels like nothing is wrong,” Steenhard says. “While it was different, it was great to see all of my show friends.”
Porter says knowing what this meant to the members made the planning worth it.
“It was a new type of normal, but it was definitely welcomed by members and their parents,” she says. “It took a lot of perseverance, but I’m glad we made this happen.”
Steenhard came away from the 2020 Fair Special Edition with Supreme Champion Heifer honors.
“It was really special,” she says. “With the way the year was going, it was great to end it the way we did, making all of our hard work worth it. I’m thankful for the group of people who made this happen.”
