In the news...

Click here for the clip of Emily June's media coverage. If you can't tell, I am so proud of her I can't stand it! Watch the clip and you will see why. Also, here is the article that was in the Dallas Morning News this morning.

Girl's champion steer hauls in $95,000 at State Fair of Texas

12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, October 4, 2008

By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]

We've got a Champ.

JENN ACKERMAN/DMN Champ, showed by Emily June Kelley, 12, of Yoakum, topped last year's winner by $1,000 on Friday at the Youth Livestock Auction of Champions. Emily June Kelley, 12, of Yoakum took home the top prize in the steer competition Friday at the State Fair of Texas' annual Youth Livestock Auction of Champions.

The steer's name, appropriately: Champ.

The grand champion fell short of topping the $100,000 mark, but did bring in $1,000 more than last year's winner: a cool $95,000.

The lesson for us city folks: During these troubled financial times, perhaps we should be investing in livestock.

This year's winning bid was way more -- about $35,000 more -- than Emily expected.

"I was like, 'Wow,' " she said. "It was just over my head. ... It's just overwhelming."

The buyer wished to remain anonymous, fair officials said.

The grand champion steer winner gets $30,000, and the rest of the proceeds fund State Fair scholarships.

Emily hasn't decided where she'll go to college, but she'll use the money for her education, most likely in an agriculture-related field.

She got her first taste of what was to come when her parents brought her to the family farm at an early age -- 5 days old. She has been raising Champ since last spring in Yoakum, about 90 miles east of San Antonio.

Emily said letting go of Champ won't be easy. The goal is to not get too attached.

Many of the students form bonds with animals, said Daryl Real, the fair's vice president of agriculture and livestock.

"A lot of the animals are treated better than you and I are," he said. "[Students] spend a lot of time with these animals and care for them. It's a project they take a lot of pride in.

"In order to be successful in the end, it's a must to spend that time with them."

But the students know there's a time to say goodbye. It's part of the life cycle -- these animals are being raised for food, Mr. Real said.

When Emily first saw her steer, she said she had a strange feeling. She thought he was perfect.

Her mom said: Name him Champ.

Emily spent a couple hours each day taking care of Champ, rinsing and drying him. There were 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. feedings. The goal was to get him comfortable in front of a crowd.

Champ can get nervous and likes! to move around on his own. Emily uses a pole, called a show stick, to scratch him and help ease his nerves.

On Friday at the fairgrounds, Emily led Champ into a lit ring, surrounded by hundreds of people, many decked out in cowboy hats and boots.

The fast-talking auctioneer took bids, which poured in.

"Now 50,000," he said. "55, 55, 60,000, 60,000, 65, now 70,000, now 75."

He spit out bids faster and faster.

"85,000, 86, 86, 87, 87 ... 93, 94, 95, moving 95, 95."

Champ kept milling about under the lights. Emily smiled as the auctioneer wrapped up the bidding:

"All in. All done. Sold."