A TRIO OF CHAMPS AND RECORDS

Winning grand champions and earning top dollar in the state livestock auction are becoming routine for a pair of 4-Hers from Steele County.

Lex Lewison of Owatonna picked up his second straight grand champion with a dairy steer at this year’s Minnesota State Fair. To top it off, he earned a record $24,000 in the Minnesota 4-H Purple Ribbon Livestock Auction Aug. 27 at the State Fair. American Foods Group and O&S Cattle purchased Lewison’s animal. He beat the record of $21,000 that he set a year ago.

After a two-year break, Grace Arthur came back to win her second grand champion this year. She exhibited the top market sheep, which brought her a record $11,500 in the auction. Summit Carbon Solutions bought Arthur’s sheep.

For Arthur, she is continuing a family tradition of grand champions. Two of her siblings, Riley and Lauren, have earned purple ribbon champions in the past at the State Fair.

Lewison and Arthur weren’t the only champions from Steele County. Khloe Nelson captured grand champion market meat goat and earned a new state record of $9,000. Her animal was purchased by Minnesota Farmer’s Union.

In all, Steele County had three of the 10 grand champions featured in the auction, which is in its 43^rd year. This year’s auction featured 115 animals and produced a record of more than $900,000.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Lewison after winning state two years in a row. “It was unexpected because there were a lot of good steers in the show.”

Last year, Lewison and his brother Gavin were in the auction together as Lex had grand champion and Gavin showed a reserve champion. While they weren’t in the auction together this year, Lex Lewison is hoping they will be able to come back again next year to both qualify. Next year will be Lex Lewison’s final year in 4-H.

The Lewisons are members of the Straight River Stars 4-H Club and live on a hobby farm with their parents Bradley and Tammy Lewison south of Owatonna.

Lewison said the money he earned from the auction will help pay for college and tools he needs to work on cars. He will be attending Riverland College in Albert Lea this fall for its auto mechanic program.

He hopes to escape without any college debt, thanks largely in part to the $45,000 he has earned over the past two years with his champion animals.

In addition to going to college, Lewison will continue at Ron’s Repair in Owatonna where he began working a year ago.

Capturing a champion caught Arthur by surprise.

“It’s crazy… I didn’t think it would happen this year,” said Arthur, who is in her final year of 4-H. “It’s cool to break records and see how much support 4-H gets from outside buyers.”

Arthur is a sophomore at South Dakota State University in Brookings where she plans to major in agriculture communications. She said she enjoys photography and writing.

Her earnings from the auction will help pay for college expenses.

As she looks back on 4-H, Arthur said she has made a lot of friends and enjoyed many opportunities.

“When you work hard and are nice to other people, it will really pay off,” Arthur said.

She is the daughter of Bill and Vicki Arthur and a member of the Meriden Meadowlarks 4-H Club.

New to the auction this year was Nelson, who is 13 years old and only her second time of showing at the State Fair.

“My whole family dreamed of winning this show,” said Nelson, who will be in eighth grade at Owatonna Middle School. “It puts it into perspective that you can chase your dreams.”

Nelson found herself even more surprised to earn a record $9,000 for goats in the auction. “I’m so grateful for it,” she said, noting she plans to put some of it away for college after paying off her parents for buying the goat.

She plans to attend a national goat show in Arizona this fall.

For Nelson, showing has great benefits. “It’s almost like therapy to me as it calms me down,” she says.

Nelson said she has always been around showing goats since she was young. And, she added, “I never want to stop.”

Her parents are Wade and Missy Nelson of New Richland.