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OKFR 10 | OCTOBER 2025 S By Aubrey Sturgeon Seven months ago, I introduced Tarzan, my 2022 OYE Breed Champion, and the star of the Life Cycle of a Show Steer series. Throughout the series, Tarzan has acted as more of a contrast than an example. The lack of normalcy throughout Tarzan’s life carried into his nal show, but with a bet - ter outcome than ever. For livestock exhibitors across the state, the Oklahoma Youth Expo marks the end of the life cycles of our show steers. After over a year of hard work, we have reached the nal days. As I stepped into the market steer barn on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, I could tell the stakes were high, as they always are at the “World’s Largest Junior Livestock Show.” By the timeTarzan was unloaded, settled in, and all of the tack set up, my nerves were in full swing, but my dad kept me in check, making sure I didn’t let months of hard work fall to pieces in the nal days. Tuesday is always the hardest day of the market animal week at OYE; move in is that morning, and then all there is to do is wait. Animals need to be tended to, of course, but it is crucial that they get time to rest, too. This leaves anxious exhibitors with almost a feeling of hopelessness, knowing there isn’t much they can do until the next day. For some kids, walking around the barns, watching other shows, or scouting out vendors might be a good distraction, but that isn’t much of an option on my team; we are a bit more intense than that. This is the rst day since Janu - ary that our steers have been out of the cooler and into sunlight, so their melatonin levels are start- ing to normalize. This results in an itchy hide, and it is our job to ensure the steers don’t do anything Th e F in a l Go o d b ye that could rub hair out while try- ing to scratch said itch, whether it be o ering a snack or scratching that itch for them. This is pretty much all that we do on Tuesday; between myself, my sister, and my three cousins, we are able to take shifts watching each others’calves so we can each get some food. As harsh as this method may sound, we know that it puts us one step closer to a victory. These require- ments hold true overnight, but we are relieved at about nine o’clock by our “night watchmen” to go get food and rest. We are at the barns early Wednesday morning, driven by adrenaline. The calves get exer- cised, washed, dried, and fed. By this point, it is time for a long- awaited breakfast - and a little ca eine. At this point, the morning is again lled with waiting, but it is a more intense type of waiting than the day before. Tarzan was to show in the last breed of the day on Wednesday, so the wait was a long one, but I knew we were ready. Finally, the time came. We got Tarzan up, blew the loose bedding out of his hair, and moved him to our tting area. Fitting is one of my favorite parts of the day; I love being surrounded by my team, getting to hear a mini pep talk from each one of them, and then all of them tailing my calf down “barn row” and towards the “Big House.”The feeling is truly ine able; it’s like having a posse behind me, and I know that each of them wants nothing more in that moment than to watch me succeed. This was especially the case with Tarzan; our entire fitting crew knew the calf they were working on that day was a special one. As Tarzan and I entered Jim Norrick Arena and walked down the hill, I knew we were ready. It was the very last class of the day, and there was one calf in the class I had been worried about all day. Nonetheless, we were ready. I got a few nal words of encourage - ment, and I was o . I won my class, and by that point my entire crew ringside knew I was about to get my rst big win. Still, I wasn’t going to leave the judge any room for hesitation. I walked back into the ring with my best friend, lis- tened to what felt like the longest speech ever, and watched him walk towards me. He slapped my calf, and I was overcome with Aubrey and Tarzan as they said goodbye. (Photo courtesy of Aubrey Sturgeon)