Governor's Charity Steer Show: Iowa Leaders in the Show Ring

[Brooke Kohlsdorf] One of the most celebrated events of the fair happens here at the Livestock Pavilion the first Saturday of the fair. It's where some of the best young exhibitors get paired with Iowa celebrities. Judges then decide the best of the show to a standing-room-only crowd. This is the 44th edition of the Governor's Charity Steer Show.

Every year, proceeds from the auction that immediately follows the show here at the Livestock Pavilion go to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. Next are the celebrity interviews.

(On screen text: 
Steer: Norm
Gov. Kim Reynolds
Exhibitor: Kayle Englin, Orange City)

[Gov. Kim Reynolds] I'm very humbled by the opportunity and I was really proud to continue the tradition that Governor Branstad started 44 years ago to really highlight how important the beef industry is to this state of Iowa. $10 billion boom to our economy. It's how our young people are staying on the farm.

(On screen text: 
Steer: Cheese
Ike Boettger, Former NFL Player
Exhibitor: Owen Kahl, Tipton)

[Ike Boettger] I did a little film study on YouTube to see what I was walking into, and this is awesome. The Iowa State Fair is great, and it's the best state in the world. Iowa, baby.

(On screen text: 
Steer: Larry
Sec. Mike Naig, Iowa Department of Agriculture
Exhibitor: Cordell Hoeft, Plymouth)

[Mike Naig] I want you to know that Cordell Hoeft and his family, they've got a full circle moment here. His family spent some time at Ronald McDonald House when he was just 14 months old, so I know this is special for them, special for Floyd County.

(On screen text: 
Steer: Touchdown
Jason Brown, Country Music Artist
Exhibitor: Lylah Houk, Blakesburg)

[Jason Brown] Great, I'm so honored to be here today raising money for the Ronald McDonald House, a great organization, the 44th annual, and I text Kim, I said, “I'm coming for you, but I don't know if it's going to do much good.”

[Emcee] Who is the lady that was selected to show Comet? Can you tell us what special thing she has in common with you?

[Boy 1] She's my mom.

[Emcee] She's your mom? What? She's your mom?

(On screen text: 
Steer: Comet
Dr. Aubrey Cordray, Iowa Veterinary Medicine Association
Exhibitor: Hayes Cordray, Humboldt)

[Dr. Aubrey Cordray] 21 years ago, I was actually an exhibitor in this show ring. So it's a wonderful opportunity that I didn't see coming, that I get to be on the other side of the show stick here with Hayes. Just getting to do this with my son is a just experience that I will not take for granted and I'm so grateful for. It's been an honor to see him work with Comet and him embrace the Ronald McDonald experience this week. And I know that we'll have plenty of memories for many years to come.

[Emcee] Is it the first time you showed a steer, or no?

(On screen text: 
Steer: Alfred
Gabe Arnold, University of Iowa All-American Wrestler
Exhibitor: Sawyer Goehring, Douds)

[Gabe Arnold] Yes, first time.

[Emcee] What do you think?

[Gabe] It's awesome, especially when you got a pretty dang good-looking piece of beef right here.

[Brooke] Now it's time to select the Community Hero Award. This year it's Kayle Englin from Orange City.

[Emcee] Another big round of applause for a young person who's worked a lot of hard hours raising funds.

[Brooke] Showmanship this year was judged by Tyler Krug. Dr. Aubrey Cordray and her son Hayes were this year's winners.

Let's go across the ring for the People's Choice Award. It's gonna get loud in here.

[Emcee] Let's hear it for Zach Lahn. I don't think we need to go any further. Here's your champion. Here we go. There's your People's Choice Award winner.

(On screen text:
People’s Choice Award
Celebrity: Zach Lahn, Republican Candidate for Governor
Steer: Lightning McQueen)

[Brooke] Let's get some final comments from Judge Taylor.

[Will Taylor, Judge] I will tell you, the youth that stand behind our celebrities, they will be farmers, they will be agronomists, they will be veterinarians, but more importantly, they'll be doctors and lawyers and contributing members of society. Let's put our hands together for the kids that put all the work in. Thanks for having me. It's been a true pleasure and honor.

I'll show you my champion, and when I do that, please absolutely raise the roof one more time.

[Brooke] This is Governor Kim Reynolds' first win at the Governor's Charity Steer Show.

[Gov. Kim Reynolds] It's not, it's not set, you know. I mean, I've come in second a lot of times over the years, or third or fourth or whatever. So it's, it's, it's just amazing. I'm so happy for Kayle. That's who I'm happy for. I mean, these kids put so much work into these steers and he worked— you worked me through the whole thing, didn't you?

You helped me be a better showperson for sure. He was a great mentor.

[Kayle Englin] I'm just so happy because all my hard work this summer has paid off.

[Brooke] The Governor's Charity Steer Show has raised over $6.5 million for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa since the event started in 1983. And that's how we finished up at the Livestock Pavilion.