Eleven-year-old Morgan Huls has exciting news to share: she and her one-year-old steer, Oliver, won Grand Champion at the Illinois Dept of Ag Youth Livestock Expo in Springfield on Sept. 12.
Approaching her third year of livestock shows, Morgan knew that the summer of 2020 would look differently than any summer she’d experienced before. In March, Morgan’s family was about half-way to Indiana when a show was canceled due to COVID-19.
In the months to follow, Morgan knew that there was still work to be done, though. Waking up at 6 a.m., she went out to the family barn with her dad, Steve, to work with the cattle.
There’s Oliver, of course, and Oscar, Dylan and Ricky.
Morgan shares the responsibility of her herd with her sisters, Madison, Makenzie, Macey. Madison has been showing cattle for two years now.
Most of all, the girls love working with their dad, Steve.
The day starts with getting the cattle in the barn so they can get a bath, and ends in the same way after Steve is done working in the fields. The girls often take their cows from an air-conditioned barn, at the right temperature for the cow’s hair to grow, to walk them, training them for upcoming shows.
Although most events in Illinois were canceled due to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 guidance, Morgan was still able to go to 16 shows in other Midwestern states, taking home Reserve Champion eight times.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, Morgan and Madison were only able to bring two people with them to the State exhibit. With three additional family members, including two younger siblings, their mom, Dawn stayed home and watched virtually.
2020 came with another disappointment, too; without the annual Governor’s Sale of Champions, a week-long display of the state’s finest livestock, Gov. JB Pritzker did not purchase the grand champion steer, which traditionally goes for $75,000.
Still, being called as Grand Champion at what would have been this year’s Illinois State Fair was shocking for Morgan.
“I felt really excited,” she said.
Morgan, Madison and Steve celebrated with dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings.
