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Celebrating 21 years of covering Wisconsin agriculture
June 1, 1999 ~ June 1, 2020
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May Brother-Sister Dual Wraps Up 12 Years of State Fair Success
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 08/12/2019
Not many farm families can say they made an impact on a state youth market animal program as great as the May family of Iowa County. On the final day of the Wisconsin State Fair on Sunday, Wisconsin Ag Connection caught up with Lauren May, who along with her brother, Brock, had an unprecedented run during the past dozen years in the Governor's Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction.
Between 2007 and 2012, Brock exhibited and then sold five Grand Champion steers and two Reserve Champions, earning him a collective six-figures to be used for his college education. As a 12-year-old boy, he also received grand champion honors at the
American Royal Livestock Show, and sold that steer for a record $100,000 back in 2005.
But then in 2014, his younger sister began another family streak, netting her a total of three Grand Champions and three Reserve Champion steers. One of those animals sold for an all-time GBRLA record of $65,000 in 2015.
"My brother and I are pretty competitive. Even though he had more Grand Champion steers during his years of showing, I actually sold my animals for more money than he did in the end," Lauren said with a chuckle.
She attributed her family's success to paying attention to the little details and working hard to strive for perfection.
"For example, we weigh our show steers very often--sometimes daily to make sure we're on track for proper gain," she said. "And then, of course, there's a lot of work. Raising quality animals is not something that just happens on its own."
Sunday wrapped up her final day as a youth exhibitor at the Wisconsin State Fair. This fall, she'll be starting her sophomore year at Oklahoma State University, majoring in agricultural business. And with no younger siblings to take over the family dynasty, the
state fair will seem a little different in the years to come.
Meanwhile, the kids' father, Bob May, said he's proud of the hard work that Brock and Lauren put into their projects over the years. He breeds and sells show animals to customers across the country and the family even exhibits at many national competitions, as well.
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