Continuing the upward streak, the Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show exceeded the previous year’s fundraising total donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. This year’s event raised $501,000. Including this year’s donations, the Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show has raised almost $5.5 million since the event’s inception in 1983.
The Community Hero Award recognizes the youth exhibitor that goes above and beyond collecting non-monetary donations and creating awareness for the event. This year two exceptional youth exhibitors were recognized for their efforts—Will Vlasek from Cedar Rapids and Colbie Fevold of Gladbrook.
The showmanship contest was judged by Dr. Dan Loy, who recently retired from the Iowa State Beef Center. He awarded Emma Wayson of Mount Auburn, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and Junior the steer with Grand Champion Showman.
A fan favorite, the People’s Choice Award, gives the audience and team supporters a voice in the competition as they help select the winner of this event. In the end, it was the 2022 Iowa State Fair Queen, Mary Ann Fox, and her youth partner, Taylor Quade from Charles City, along with her steer, Max, that took the award home. The Judge’s Grand Champion was Blake Boldon, Franklin P Johnson director of the Drake Relays and senior associate athletic director at Drake University, and his youth partner, Tyson Mohr from Ladora, received the honor along with Batman, the winning steer.
