Tuesday marked the first full day for the Jefferson City Jaycees Cole County Fair, and the first few hours were filled with bleating goats and mooing cows in the 4-H and FFA's annual animal shows.
Every year, 4-H members can show off their best animals, from large bulls and heifers to skinny goats, and sell them to the highest bidder.
For many exhibitors, the real fun comes from interaction with fellow competitors and the food and fun that come with the fair, a chance to have a "mini-vacation" with friends and family before school begins.
"It's hard to see all my friends from the shows during the school year," said Sarah Junkans, 17.
This was also true when Junkans went to the Miller County Fair, where she saw an old friend and they played catch between competitions.
Tuesday started with the breeding beef show, featuring 4-H members with heifers or bulls born within the past year.
Junkans also competes with her younger sister, Hannah Junkans, 14, and both support each other throughout the shows, Hannah said.
The toughest part of showing for most exhibitors is the amount of hard work and strength they have to show both in and out of the show arena.
Showing cattle can be dangerous, as there's at least 400-600 pounds of meat and muscle the exhibitors have to wrestle with if the cattle become skittish.
Despite this, the exhibitors showed patience and strength as they walked around the arena.
Anne Brennecke, mother of three children involved with 4-H, said she has loved watching her children's hard work and dedication in the ring year after year.
"I always feel so proud of my kids and happy to see their work pay off," she said. "It's also great to see the emotions on their face and their sentimental feelings toward their cattle."
Brennecke joked the cattle in many ways were a pet or "form of a puppy" for her children.
This is her daughter Heidi Brennecke's first year competing in the breeding beef show with her bull, Bruce Almighty. Heidi decided to compete this year to follow in her sisters' footsteps.
The Junkans sisters' dad encouraged them from the time they were 8 to show cattle to build character, Hannah said.
"It's difficult waking up so early, though," Sarah said, and that's true for most exhibitors, who often try to reach the fairgrounds around 6 a.m. to continue training or grooming their cattle.
Hannah practices with their heifers at least twice a day to gain their trust. "After a while, they realize I won't hurt them, but I also have to remember they could still hurt me," she said.
When choosing which cattle to show, the Junkans look at the overall structure of their heifers, Hannah said. They try to pick cattle that will have more muscle because judges like to see more muscle on heifers and bulls, she said.
Even with ribbons and cash earned from auctions, what most exhibitors and audience members love is the time they're able to spend with friends and family once the shows are over.
Tyler Groose, 11, said he looks forward to returning each year to become closer with his cattle and fellow 4-H members.
"It's also just fun watching others compete, having friends watch you and that there's friendly competition among everyone," Groose said as he continued grooming his heifer, Oreo, before moving onto the stage.
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