Austin Weber of Dousman shows his 1,300 pound grand champion steer Friday during the County Executive & Fair Marshal’s Junior Live Stock Auction at the Waukesha County Fair. Weber got $3.25 a pound for his steer, $4,225 total, at the event.

Marine Kuchar, 13, left, of Pewaukee and Jessey Wetly, 16, of Waukesha hold hands upside down while riding the Midway ride "Bonzai" Friday at the Waukesha County Fair.

From left, Andy Latus, Evan Miller, center, and Ken Latus, members of the band Left On Sunset, perform at the Leinie Lodge on Friday at the Waukesha County Fair.

WAUKESHA - As Austin Weber prodded his grand champion steer crossbreed, Harvey, into the auction arena Friday, he looked proud of his 1,300-pound animal.

After an enthusiastic show by the auctioner, Harvey sold for $3.25 per pound to the Waukesha Recycling Center, for a total price of $4,225.

"I figured, you know, with the economy and the price of feed where it’s at, it (steer) wouldn’t bring as much as it used to," Weber, 19, of Dousman said, adding a steer used to sell at about $4 to $5 per pound a few years ago.

The kickoff to the weekend at the Waukesha County Fair started slow Friday but picked up with some big rock acts and traditional events later in the day. The 166th annual fair continues today and Sunday.

Weber, who has shown cattle since he was 10 years old, said he felt good to be ending his animal showmanship with 4-H on such a high note.

"It feels great. I think next year it’s going to hit me that I am not doing it," he said.

Harvey was Weber’s first grand champion steer, but he has had reserve champion animals in previous years.

"At first, I couldn’t believe it. Then it hit me about an hour later that I did it," he said.

Weber said he will use the money earned from the auction to pay for tuition as he plans to transfer to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study mechanical engineering.

Heidi Tremaine, 11, of Oconomowoc was torn about seeing her 1,305-pound reserve champion steer Angus, Jason, auctioned off Friday night.

"It’s sad to see him go, but at least I have the money for my bank account," she said.

Jason sold for $3.50 per pound to the Muskego Animal Hospital.

She said she bought the steer from her parents for $1,000 and pays about $2 per day to feed him.

"He’ll be meat in a couple of days. Unfortunately, I am attached to him," Tremaine said. Overall, she enjoys raising livestock.

"It’s just a very good experience and I think every one should do it, but some people are afraid of the animals," Tremaine said.

Other champion animals also sold well. The grand champion market hog sold for $5 per pound, the grand champion lamb sold for $5.50 per pound, the reserve champion market hog sold for $4 per pound and the reserve champion lamb sold for $3.50 per pound.

There was an air of relaxation Friday afternoon as Close Enuf, a ‘60s music cover band, glided through a set from the Leinie Lodge stage. The audience was sparse and consisted mostly of people snacking or getting out of the hazy sun, but that didn’t stop a trio of Waukesha dancers from cutting a rug.

Jack Ryan, 6, and his sister, Gracie, 2, linked hands with their caretaker Heather Breyman for a hoedown to Close Enuf’s cover of Ben E. King’s "Stand By Me" in front of the stage.

Breyman said it was the second day in a row that she brought the kids to the fair and that while they enjoyed the dance, it was the petting zoo that had their minds twirling.

"They had a really good time by all the animals. That was the highlight of their day," Breyman said.

At the 4-H center, people casually played bingo, ate cream puffs and perused the sales stands. Making their way through the maze of ribbon-winning photographs and art, Anthony Drew gave his thoughts on how some pictures came together to his 9-year-old grandson Lucas Drew. Pointing to a second-place winning shot of a fish in shallow water on a sidewalk by Karly McMillian of Hartland, Anthony Drew questioned Lucas as to the source of the shot.

"You know what else it could be from? It could be from the flooding," Drew suggested to his grandson.

Justin Kern can be reached at jkern@conleynet.com
Katherine Michalets can be reached at kmichalets@conleynet.com