State grand champion steer raised by Gillett youth

GILLETT – A young man from Gillett took home grand champion honors for his lightweight dairy steer at the Wisconsin State Fair in August.

Brandin Bjelland’s steer won first place in the market registered dairy division in the junior beef cattle competition.

“The most exciting part about it was after you win, you get to stay another three extra days with everyone else who won,” Bjelland said.

He received a plaque and a ribbon for his steer as well as the opportunity to sell his animal at the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction, where the winning bid of $12,500 was submitted by American Foods Group.

“Giving him up the last day was probably the hardest part about the competition,” the Gillett Middle School eighth-grader said.

Bjelland has shown dairy steer for the open division in previous years. He said that he decided to enter the junior competition this year with his steer because “last year my brother showed his steer, and I was old enough to take part in it this year.”

Bjelland is already working with some feeder calves that he plans on entering in the competition next year.