SIDNEY, Neb. — The 4-H beef show at the fair is always a big hit in Cheyenne County.

Sidney Allard is going to be a high school junior, and she will be the Future Farmers of America (FFA) President of the Sidney Chapter starting next school year.

Allard and her sister have five cows at the fair.

“We have two stocker feeder calves, which we just weened, a breeding heifer, a market heifer, and a steer,” Allard said.

Allard says she and her family will be selling the market heifer and a steer. Allard said her heifer will not be missed.

“This year, I don’t like my heifer at all. She has a bad attitude,” Allard said. “I will have no sadness this year.”

Allard said sometimes it’s difficult selling her breeding heifers because she spends so much time with them every day.

“From the time we’re feeding to the time we’re done with them in the morning, it’s at least two hours,” Allard said. “In the evening we’ll practice showmanship and walking them around, and if it’s really hot we’ll rinse them again.”

Although it can be a sad process Allard always keeps in mind that the end goal is to sell the cows.

“There’s just special ones too that come along, and it brings a tear to your eye,” Allard said.

Allard said her favorite part of the process is getting her cows ready for the show.

“I enjoy physically showing them too, but for the most part it’s getting them ready and seeing your hard work pay off,” Allard said.

Allard wants to go to the University of Kansas for animal science, and she said she wants to stay in the cattle business in one form or another after school.

“I’m not sure if I want to go to vet school or not yet,” Allard said. “I do want to be in the cattle reproduction field, whether that’s being an embryologist or an embryologist tech that does a lot of the fieldwork.”

Allard won Grand Champion in the Stocker/Feeder, Market Heifer, and Round Robin and Reserve Champion in 4-H Showman, FFA Showman, and Overall Senior Beef Showman. Her sister Sara Allard won Grand Champion in Breeding Heifer and Reserve Champion in Intermediate Beef Showman.