Whether by blood or fraternity, family played a big role is ISU students’ beef exhibitions and prize-winnings at the Iowa Beef Expo Junior Show last weekend.

The show was the last time Chelcee Hindman, junior in animal science, could show at the event because of age restrictions.

“It was my 12th and last year,” Hindman said. “I’m going to miss it a lot.”

She said being at the show for the last time made her reflect.

“Showing cattle is a family affair — everyone is your family,” Hindman said.

“When I came to ISU, I had a quick network of friends from showing.”

At an awards ceremony during the show Saturday, Brent Hallings, Iowa deputy secretary of agriculture, said it was important for students to make connections within the beef industry.

“[College] students gain camaraderie and learn from each other by hanging out in the barn and being with the young people. You can’t put a price on experience like that,” Hallings said.

Hallings presented the Iowa Junior Beef Breeds Association sportsmanship award to ISU student Ryan Habeger.

Habeger, freshman in pre-professional health programs and Iowa Junior Beef Breeds Association president, also showed a steer at the show Saturday. He said even though he has friends from showing cattle, it’s still a competition.

Jodi Breniman, co-adviser to the junior beef breeds group, said competition does not get in the way of forming a family among exhibitors.

“There is competition, but there is also family atmosphere. [The youth] couldn’t do it without their families,” Breniman said.

She said friends are an important part of showing too.

“When they have more than one calf to show at a time, their friends jump in to help,” she said.

Cody Bailey, freshman in agriculture studies, and Brett Halvorsen, freshman in animal science, did just that when their fellow Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity member Jeff Anderson, freshman in animal science, had three calves to show.

Bailey exhibited one of Anderson’s calves for judging while Anderson had another. Halvorsen, who also exhibited cattle at the show, held a third in the waiting area.

“[Anderson] should do pretty good in this class,” said Halvorsen as he watched from the side. “I think [the calf] looks good.”

The Alpha Gamma Rho exhibitors had other supporters from their fraternity as well, with four other members waiting in Anderson’s preparation area in the barn ready to help.

“When one goes [to a show], we all go to support them,” said Nathan Katzer, sophomore in agronomy.

The fraternity members have traveled to Denver and other cities to show support for their brothers who exhibit cattle. Halvorsen said he saw 20 of the 79 Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity members at the show throughout the weekend.

Anderson walked away from the expo with an award for second highest exhibitor points in the Charolais Heifers division.