Bella Cobb, daughter of Sam and Jamie Cobb of Owensville, frequented the livestock cattle barn at the Gasconade County Fair in July with her steer Stormy.

“I put in lots of work every morning and every night,” said Bella, who is a member of the Bem 4-H Club. “I learned responsibility and have certain times I had to set for time management, which was tough with volleyball.”

As Stormy grew, Bella had challenges to overcome.

“When he was bigger, I startled him by accident, and he kicked me in the stomach,” Bella said.

Then the Owensville youth broke her foot at summer camp shortly before the fair. Another challenge she has managed to overcome while caring for Stormy.

This is Bella’s third steer in four years. One year she showed a bucket calf that she showed again and sold the following year.

“You have to have a good setup, a certain amount of land, and steers are better by twos,” Bella said. “It makes them feel more comfortable.”

She said the key is to not let them know you are nervous.

“When you try to walk them, stay calm or they will be calm,” Bella said.

She plans to continue her 4-H career next year.

Across the way at the swine barn, Ryder LeClaire sat with his family’s two pigs, Porkbert and Biscuit. The Gerald youth is homeschooled with his sister, who also participated in the livestock show.

“This is my first year raising them, Ryder said. “They’re fun. We knew a lot about them, and they are fairly easy to take care of.”

Ryder said the pigs have big personalities.

“We thought we did good, but then we came here and learned how to beef them better,” he said.

Both animals were kept together in a 100x100 wooded area. Ryder said he looks forward to trying again with what he learned.

“One hundred percent I’d do it again,” he said.