Coffeyville, Kan. (August 15, 2019) – Keaton Gilman is going to have to run extra in high school football practice next week, but he doesn’t mind.
The Miami, Okla. youth has missed five days of practice for Vinita High School, but he has a good reason.
His steer, a 1,365 lb. crossbred, won Grand Champion Steer on August 15 at the Inter-State Fair in Coffeyville.
And while he was at the fair, football practice, and school, started without him.
Gilman’s steer is named McGregor, after the MMA fighter Conor McGregor. He got the steer in March and has spent nearly every night, seven nights a week, in the barn getting the animal ready for the show.
“It’s work,” he said. “We’d start about six p.m., and we wouldn’t leave the barn till about ten p.m.,” as he and his family exercised and washed the steer, working on showmanship. It gave the teenager very little social life, but he didn’t mind. “I’d much rather be doing this.”
He loves everything there is about showing livestock. “All of it, I love all of it,” he said. “The adrenaline rush when the judge comes out there (in the show ring) and slaps that steer for grand (champion), it’s just awesome. To know all of that hard work you’ve put in that entire time, working in the barn until 10, finally paid off. It’s just amazing.”
He also showed two pigs and a heifer at the fair, and has been showing since he was nine years old.
As a junior in high school this fall, Gilman will play football, wrestle, and be a member of his school’s FFA chapter. After high school graduation, his plans are to go to school to be a lineman.
And now that the hard work is mostly over with his livestock, Gilman can enjoy the fair. He loves the rides, including the Freak-Out ride, the most adventurous ride at the fair. He also loves the funnel cakes. He’s had two so far, with plans for a third one today.
“It doesn’t seem like the fair till you’ve eaten one,” he said.
He is the son of Bobby and Becky Gilman, and has an older sister, Madison.
Reserve grand champion was Nate Osborn, Vinita, Okla.
Today’s market steer show was sponsored by Deer Creek Simmental and Coffeyville Livestock. The bucket calf show was sponsored by Clint Perkins Showmanship.
The judge of the beef shows was Dr. Blake Bloomberg, Stillwater, Okla.
Market Steer Results, Inter-State Fair, Coffeyville, Kansas
Grand Champion: Keaton Gilman, Miami, Okla.
Reserve Grand Champion: Nate Osborn, Vinita, Okla.
Bucket Calf Grand Champion: Jacob McVey, Altamont, Kan.
Reserve Grand Champion: Colton Hanigan, Independence, Kan.
Angus
Grand Champion: Cecillia Newby, Oswego, Kan.
Reserve Grand Champion: Megyn Copeland, Vinita, Okla.
Charolais
Grand Champion: Nate Osborn, Vinita, Okla.
Reserve Grand Champion: Daniel Moody, Nowata, Okla.
Maine Anjou
Grand Champion: Lea Hency, Bluejacket, Okla.
Reserve Grand Champion: Malynn Vail, Bluejacket, Okla.
Shorthorn
Grand Champion: Clint Harrington, Nowata, Okla.
Reserve Grand Champion: Clayton Evans, Dewey, Okla.
Simmental
Grand Champion: Pistol Tatum, Miami, Okla.
Reserve Grand Champion: Ani Rexwinkle, Coffeyville, Kan.
All other breeds
Grand Champion: Jay Alexander, Nowata, Okla.
Reserve Grand Champion: Trace Falkenstien, Oswego, Kan.
Cross
Grand Champion: Keaton Gilman, Miami, Okla.
Reserve Grand Champion: Sara Hency, Bluejacket, Okla.
Open Beef Show Results
Supreme Female: Larahmy Blakely, Maine Anjou, Oologah, Okla.
Reserve Supreme Female: Paige Atkisson, Simmental, Nowata, Okla.
Supreme Bull: Julie Barron, Hereford, Lenapah, Okla.
Reserve Supreme Bull: Larahmy Blakely Simmental, Oologah, Okla.
Angus
Champion Female: Brenley Grigsby, Welch, Okla.
Reserve Champion Female: Brody Grigsby, Welch, Okla.
Champion Bull: Narrow Gate Angus Farms, Ramona, Kan.
Chi
Champion Female: Darla Fesmire, Barlett, Okla.
Reserve Champion Female: Larahmy Blakely, Oologah, Okla.
Hereford
Champion Female: Julia Barron, Lenapah, Okla.
Reserve Champion Female: Emma Pool, Havana, Kan.
Champion Bull: Julia Barron, Lenapah, Okla.
Reserve Champion Bull: Ronnie & Linda Scott, Lamar, Mo.
Limousin
Champion Female: Trace Falkenstien, Oswego, Kan.
Reserve Champion Female: Maddix Small, Neodesha, Kan.
Champion Bull: Ani Rexwinkle, Coffeyville, Kan.
Maine-Anjou
Champion Female: Larahmy Blakely, Oologah, Okla.
Reserve Champion Female: Abby Emberson, Blanchard, Okla.
Champion Bull: Justin Herlan, Bluejacket, Okla.
Reserve Champion Bull: Justin Herlan, Bluejacket, Okla.
Shorthorn
Champion Female: Addison Dick, Nowata, Okla.
Reserve Champion Female: Olivia Gillette, Vinita, Okla.
Simmental
Champion Female: Paige Atkisson, Nowata, Okla.
Reserve Champion Female: Gavin Grisby, Welch, Okla.
Champion Bull: Larahmy Blakely, Oologah, Okla.
Reserve Champion Bull: Damon Higbie, Princeton, Kan.
All other breeds
Champion Female: Kyle Chapman, Bluejacket, Okla.
Reserve Champion Female: Clint Harrington, Nowata, Okla.
Zebu
Champion Female: Mindy Stewart, Delaware, Okla.
Reserve Champion Female: Mindy Stewart, Delaware, Okla.
Champion Bull: Mindy Stewart, Delaware, Okla.
Reserve Champion Bull: Mindy Stewart, Delaware, Okla.
