XENIA — Brandon Barr participated in his final Greene County Fair Market Beef Showmanship & Beef Breeding event last Thursday. The 19-year-old Beavercreek alum is aging out of 4-H and fair competition.
“It is bittersweet,” he said. “I can go to national shows until I am 21. So, I have a couple of more years for that.”
The Husky Hustlers 4-H Club member has spent 15-years participating in 4-H. Barr said that one of his goals is to improve breeding programs for kids.
Although Barr said he did not do much in Thursday’s Market Beef Showmanship and Breeding competition, he does have an award-winning past. In 2018, Barr was a champion. He won champion steer, champion heifer, and was named champion senior showman in 2019.
His knowledge was passed down from mom and dad, Jeff and Jill.
“I learned from my parents at the beginning,” he said. “We went to shows around the country and I was taught how to fit and to show.”
That became a favorite aspect of showing animals.
“I really like the grooming and fitting part,” Barr said. “I really like getting the calves ready.”
Barr said that his steer will be sold and go for freezer beef. His white calf will go home and be a mother calf.
For Barr, it is not easy seeing his animals being sold.
“It’s hard to sell animals because they are like part of the family,” he said. “You get to learn their personality.”
Barr has also shown hogs, but the family is “all cattle” now he said.
