Noah Johnson Daily Press Emma Verbeek poses with Champ, the 2024 Reserve Champion Steer

ESCANABA — Steers were judged in the beef show ring at the U.P. State Fair Tuesday. The grand champion steer, shown by Mitchell Dewey, weighed in at 1355 pounds. The reserve champion winner was shown by Emma Verbeek who weighed in at 1410 pounds.

Dewey, 14, has been raising his steer, Carl, in the City of Harrison in Clare County.

Dewey got Carl from a breeder downstate named Tyler Russman.

When asked how it felt to be a winner, Dewey smiled and said, “Pretty good.”

He said raising Carl was a process, but it was pretty fun.

“We knew he was gonna be green in the beginning and it’d take him a while to mature — to get to his best point, but he’s starting to mature a lot and look good,” Dewey said.

Verbeek, 14, has been raising her steer, Champ, in Gladstone.

Verbeek got Champ from Pandora Cattle Company downstate. Verbeek is also the 2023 reigning grand champion. Verbeek said it was exciting to win the reserve honors.

“(Raising him) was lots of work, (but also) fun and rewarding,” Verbeek said.

The two steers will spend much of the rest of the fair in special pens in the beef barn, where fairgoers can see the animals for themselves, up close and personal.

Carl, Champ and the other livestock will go to the livestock auction held on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m.